A Goddess's Visit
by Phoenixica24
Summary: Takes place in the Sannin's generation, a shooting star falls from the sky with mysterious powers and joins the Sannin. OrochimaruxOC, the next story will be their daughter's world. Rated T for ninja violence, M later on. SEQUEL: 'Learning to Shine'. :D
1. Prologue

**A/N: I'm rewriting this story and the sequel since I found my original plot outline. Only a few things will change, minor details added for a better sequel, and the ending will change dramatically, of course. Please read and review anyway! I'm trying to make this a better story!**

**Dedicated to my beta Azzie (Inkfire)! 3**

A Goddess's Visit:

Prologue: War and Prophecies:

Lightning flashed below, lighting up the sky of the world underneath. Dark creatures threatened to break through the barrier of light, as specks of light swarmed around them, trying desperately to stop them.

"Stop them!" one star paused long enough to cry, before plunging headlong back into the battle.

"Highness, please stop! Please, return to the citadel before any more harm befalls you!" pleaded an aide, daring enough to reach out and grip the Queen's robe.

"No. I will not let my people fight and die without me. The loss of honor would be disgusting." she replied. The blood soaking her armor caused enough worry among her people that her being there did more harm than good, but she ignored it, fighting on.

"Mother!" called another figure, rushing to her mother's side. "Get her back to the citadel! She's been poisoned!" she ordered a moment later. "I will be there soon!" she snarled at the nearest Daemon, making them think twice about attacking this particular warrior. She, too, was covered in blood and injuries, but could fly in a straight line, so no one worried too much about her just yet.

The aides firmly restricted their Queen's movements and flew hard away from the battle. The princess followed, slaying any who dared try to follow.

"Well, well. Look who it is." The princess looked up sharply. The Daemon princess hovered nearby, smirking.

"Mommy's hurt badly, isn't she?" the dark-skinned girl taunted. Kida snarled furiously and lunged for her.

"Kida! Stop! You're in no condition to fight and the last of the royal line! Do not-" her mother's voice broke off, drowned out by her coughing. Kida turned reluctantly from the Daemon, hissing threats over her shoulder as she fled after her mother and her escorts.

As the sun rose the next morning, Kida paced restlessly across the balcony to her mother's rooms. The nation knew their Queen was dying and held their breath in silent expectation.

Finally, a healer came out and beckoned Kida inside. The princess took a deep breath and obediently followed, ducking under the curtains and bounding to her mother's side.

The Queen took a deep, painful breath before whispering so only her daughter could hear.

_With the life fading from my eyes,_

_I see the lives that are to come,_

_you and him and everyone,_

_One day soon she will come,_

_your daughter weakened by her blood,_

_will gain the strength that we long lost,_

_and win or lose this war I fought._

Kida stood shakily, holding back tears with difficulty. Stars didn't cry. Stars didn't have emotions.

"We go to fight! To avenge my mother's death!" she ordered, striding confidently out and leaping into the air, as was more befitting her species.

Only humans felt weaknesses like emotions.

They returned to the battlefield, only to find Daemons swarming the world, claiming it as theirs and spreading their darkness through the hearts of the humans living within.

"Oh no you don't!" Kida shrieked fiercely. She fell into the darkness pulsating above the clouds, only to feel the evil wash over her, and her heart pulse frantically, shining brightly just long enough to light her way down to earth. She could barely move, never mind fight. As the sun rose, her vision faded.


	2. Chapter 1: Fall

**A/N: This is my first N****aruto fanfic so hang in there with me! This will be a long one, just a heads-up. Most likely three or four stories long.**

**Thank you to my beta Azzie (Inkfire) for a lovely job done so quickly! I hope not to overwhelm you!**

**Please review and let me know what you think so far!XD  
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A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter One: Fall:

Dawn's colors finally broke the inky darkness of the sky over the peaceful little village. The guards stirred, making their respective routine safety checks before greeting their relief and going home. Birds sang happily as the smell of food cooking drifted out into the streets, along with people whose voices mingled with the song.

People shouting woke a dark-haired man from his doze. Looking out the window, he sighed as he recognized his two teammates fighting-and on their way to fetch him for their mission.

He stood and cast one last glance out the window at the sky, remembering the brilliant shooting star that had blazed through that very darkened canopy not four hours previously. It had been the most beautiful and amazing thing he'd ever seen.

He turned away and hurried to get outside before his teammates showed up in the doorway. He made it partway down the street before meeting up with them. Silently joining the group, the young man couldn't help but sneak glances at the sky in the direction the shooting star had gone. His teammates were too busy arguing to notice.

"Pervert!" the blond girl called, flipping her pigtails at the white-haired boy.

"Flat-chested Tsunade!" the boy retorted, despite the fact that Tsunade had not been entirely flat-chested for years.

Tsunade drew back her fist. "Jiraiya no baaka!" she yelled, punching him in the face. He flew down the street and into the village gates. The guards on their way home just looked at him and shook their heads. Jiraiya was a well-known pervert.

The dark-haired man just sighed. He was more than used to it by now.

"Orochimaru! Did you see that? It's not faaiiir!" Jiraiya whined as Tsunade stalked past him out of the village.

"You're the one starting it." Orochimaru pointed out, following Tsunade, his long black hair floating elegantly behind him.

"You know, sometimes I wonder why you always side with the girls. Maybe it's cause you're so much like the-" Jiraiya never finished the sentence.

Orochimaru stood with his eyes narrowed, looking extremely pissed off, while Tsunade stared at him in shock. Jiraiya was nowhere to be seen, but there was a clear trail of destruction showing where he had-unwillingly-gone.

"However much fun that was, now we have to go fetch him." Tsunade sighed. Orochimaru nodded and they set out along the path of destruction towards their teammate.

"You know he won't stay where he stopped." Orochimaru commented after a minute.

"He'd better." Tsunade snarled. Orochimaru shut up.

They came to a huge crater in the middle of the forest, with smoke still rising in a thin stream from the center. For a while they had noticed the destruction growing worse instead of less, as Jiraiya should have slowed and stopped. Instead, he was picking himself off the ground towards the middle of the crater, staring around with wide eyes. When he saw the smoke, he took a cautious step towards it and cried out, jogging over.

Tsunade swore, and darted after him. Orochimaru scanned the area for enemies before following at a safe distance. Tsunade reached the smoke and stood beside Jiraiya, staring at the ground. As Orochimaru got closer, he noticed a figure lying on the ground beside them. Stopping beside them, he saw it was a young woman, who looked to be about their age.

She had long white hair similar to Jiraiya's, but neater, more feminine and beautiful. She was slender and clad scantily in a band across her chest that was twisted in the middle, and a skirt that hung across her hips down to her knees, made of a very flowy material that fluttered in the breeze. Both were sky-blue. Her skin was tan and clear, free of any scars or blemishes, other than the dust and dirt from her apparent fall and battle. Looking closer, there were scrapes and cuts, maybe a few bruises. Her eyes were closed, her long black lashes resting against her cheekbones. She was beautiful in an exotic way that had Tsunade glancing worriedly at Jiraiya, who knelt beside her and gently shook her shoulder.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked loudly. She didn't respond. It was then that Orochimaru noticed the sword nearby, with strange symbols engraved on the handle, matching the ones on the sheath at her left hip. He went over and picked it up, bringing it back to where the others were gathered, using the time to scan the crater again. Nothing. No ambush. So far, this wasn't a trap. And this woman clearly needed help.

He, too, knelt next to her, across from Jiraiya, and reached out to press two fingers to the side of her neck. He was relieved when he felt a pulse. Faint, but she was alive. When he pulled his hand away, Tsunade stopped him.

"Look," she said, awe evident in her voice.

The woman was glowing. Not much, not enough that they'd have noticed before, but even as they watched, bruises faded, and cuts healed themselves. Tsunade bent down and pressed her hand to one of the larger wounds. Her chakra healing techniques did nothing. She kept trying, but it didn't work. Eventually, Orochimaru summoned one of his snakes, for it was clear that some of the wounds were poisoned. The snake could suck out the poison, but when he tried to erase it with his chakra, it had no effect. He frowned.

"She's not from this world, is she?" Jiraiya asked in a slightly smaller voice.

"Do you honestly believe that crap?" Tsunade asked disbelievingly.

"Chakra doesn't affect her, this crater, she's glowing, none of this could possibly exist here!" Jiraiya exclaimed.

"Yet it does," Orochimaru cut in. "We should take her back to the village and report this to Hiruzen-sensei."

The other two agreed, and as Jiraiya reached to pick the young woman up, her eyelids flickered. They all froze, not even realizing they were holding their breath, until her eyes opened. They were a startling sky blue, matching her outfit. And the crystal hanging from a cord around her neck. _How did I not notice?_ Orochimaru wondered, before meeting her gaze. For some reason, he felt hot and flustered. But he refused to look away first.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly. She said something, but no one could understand it. It took her a few tries, and the three teammates looked at each other.

"Different languages?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes." the woman said quietly. They all turned, and she sighed. "Finally!" Then she frowned. "Where is this?"

"You're in the Country of Fire, near the Hidden Village of Leaves." Jiraiya said quickly, clearly hoping to impress her.

"We can take you to the Hokage for assistance. Can you walk?" Tsunade asked.

"Yes. You're all ninja, right?"

"Yes...jonin!" Jiraiya boasted.

The woman nodded. "Then you must be on a mission...an urgent one from the looks of it."

"Right. But you need help. It won't take long." Orochimaru said quietly. "No honorable ninja would leave you here like this. This crater is bound to attract people wondering what happened, and not all of them will have good intentions. It's best we get you somewhere safe."

"What is your mission?" she asked.

"Top secret." Jiraiya replied.

"Oh, honestly!" Tsunade snapped. She turned to the woman still on the ground. "We're going out to fight in the front lines is all."

"A time of war..." the woman whispered. "Then I won't hold you up."

"We can't leave you here alone." Orochimaru said flatly.

"You won't. I'm coming with you."


	3. Chapter 2:Journey to the Front Lines

**A/N: Okay, I know these chapters are going up too quickly for reviews seeing as I haven't even posted the first one yet. This way, I'm more likely to get inspiration to finish.**

**Thanks again to my beta Azzie (Inkfire) for a lovely job done very quickly!**

**Please review! I've decided that I will acknowledge all reviewers of each previous chapter in each new chapter that I post unless they're back-to-back and I haven't gotten reviews yet. Those will go in the next chapter.**

**Thanks!**

A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Two: Journey to the Front Lines:

Birds chirped in the distant trees, carefully returning to what was left of their homes around the newly formed giant crater.

Silence filled the center of said crater until a black-haired man spoke.

"Absolutely not."

"Why not?" The white-haired young woman retorted.

"You're injured, number one, fell out of the sky, number two, look like you've been in a war, number three, do I need to keep going?" Orochimaru replied sarcastically.

"I'm sure you've noticed I'm healing quickly as we speak, I did "fall from the sky" as you so eloquently put it-it's called I got knocked out of space! And now I don't have enough strength left to get out. So I'm stuck here. I might as well help you win your war."

"You admit you're weakened...and are willing to jump straight into another war?" Tsunade asked in disbelief.

"Yes. How hard can it be? I was raised in war. It's all I know. Besides, you need to complete your mission. I won't get in your way, I promise. At least give me a chance." she argued, meeting Orochimaru's eyes.

He sighed. "Fine. We can spar on the way-maybe we'll all learn something. What's your name?"

A happy smile lit up her face as he agreed. "Kida. Yours?" she replied, springing lightly to her feet and picking up her sword.

"Orochimaru."

"Tsunade."

"Jiraiya the Great!"

"Just Jiraiya will do. Unless you'd rather call him 'The Great Pervert' or 'Jiraiya the Pervert'." Tsunade cut in.

Kida huffed and smirked at Jiraiya. "Thanks for the warning, Tsunade-chan."

Tsunade smiled back. "It was nothing."

"Let's go." Orochimaru said, noticing the black streaks speeding across the blue sky overhead. Kida looked up as well.

"Your people?" Tsunade asked.

"No. Enemies. I don't think they know I'm here." she replied. There was something in her gaze, worry, grief, longing...

Well, of course she'd be worried about her comrades, maybe even family members still up there fighting, maybe they were dead, and she would want to be with them...

Without thinking, Orochimaru reached out and rested his hand on her shoulder. "They'll be okay." he murmured, smiling at her.

"Is there any way for you to tell them you're safe?" Tsunade asked.

"I already did. They'll try to keep the fighting away from here until I can go back." Kida replied.

"Then that's all you can do for now. Come on!" Orochimaru ordered, racing out of the crater and back into the forest towards the front lines.

Kida kept up with them effortlessly. She caught up to Orochimaru with ease. "How far is it?" she asked calmly, like they were walking along a beach instead of racing towards war.

"Two days' journey." he replied. She nodded and fell back slightly, letting him take the lead.

-That Evening-

Firelight flickered off the trees surrounding the little clearing. Jiraiya chattered incessantly, trying to win Kida over. The young woman ate little, and remained quiet unless she asked Orochimaru or Tsunade something.

Orochimaru studied her quietly. The way she completely ignored Jiraiya seemed to annoy him more than Tsunade's hits, or even Orochimaru's glares or Hiruzen-sensei's scoldings. She seemed to automatically accept Tsunade as a fellow female who had to put up with perverts as well, and looked towards Orochimaru as the leader.

_Well, it's not like she's altogether wrong. It's more than a little unnerving that she fell out of the sky early this morning and has already settled in and analyzed all of our personalities, traits, strengths, and weaknesses._

_ But, a girl raised in wartime would be able to do that no matter where she was from. Wouldn't she?_

He stood suddenly, startling Jiraiya. "Have you eaten enough?" he asked Kida.

"Yes." she replied quietly. She seemed determined to give as little about herself away as she could, while reading all of them like open books.

_How annoying. And rude._

"Tsunade?"

"Hmm?"

"Would you mind sparring with Kida so we can get a sense of her strength?"

"Sure." She looked at Kida. "Don't worry, I'm not out to kill you."

Kida nodded. "Nor am I." She flashed a quick smirk. "I'll try not to destroy too much."

Tsunade laughed. "I like you already. Great minds think alike!" she exclaimed, reaching out to pull Kida to her feet. The other woman rose elegantly without help and looked over at the men. Orochimaru nodded and dragged Jiraiya out of the way.

The two women faced off behind the fire. Tsunade took her stance, and Kida simply stood watching her, utterly confident, which unnerved the people watching her. Tsunade waited, but Kida merely stood staring at her.

Now thoroughly creeped out, Tsunade reached out with a punch, and Kida ducked with lightning speed, grabbing Tsunade's wrist and yanking, whipping the other woman's body around before slamming her against a tree trunk that split under the impact with a loud _CRACK! _

The men watching winced in sympathy for their teammate. Tsunade lay on the ground breathing hard for a moment, blood trickling from her mouth. She coughed up more blood before healing herself and standing, watching Kida with a new reverence.

She struck again, darting in aiming for Kida's face before suddenly dropping down and using her leg to swipe Kida's legs out from under her.

The other woman simply jumped up and vaulted over Tsunade's head, twisting behind her and striking the back of her neck with one decisive blow. Tsunade collapsed in a heap on the ground.

Orochimaru and Jiraiya rushed over.

"What did you do?" Jiraiya yelped.

"Don't worry, she's only unconscious. She'll wake up in less than a minute." Kida replied. She met Orochimaru's gaze. There was a new, dangerous look in her eyes, and Orochimaru had no doubt anymore. With or without chakra, this one could take care of herself. He nodded, respecting her power and prowess. No more silly sparring tests.

She blinked and dipped her head, before looking up and smiling at him. His heart jumped at the way the fire reflected in her eyes.

Then Tsunade moaned loudly before Jiraiya helped her sit up.

"Okay, I get the message. You can take care of yourself." the blond muttered, a bit let down. She'd been hoping for a more friendly match, that she could be friends with this girl, but felt she had been harshly rejected.

Kida held out her hand and pulled Tsunade to her feet. "I'll teach you if you like." she offered. Tsunade's face lit up.

"Yes please! But later, I'm tired now." she replied.

"What about me?" Jiraiya asked.

Kida looked at him. "Have Tsunade spar with you."

Orochimaru laughed. "And me?" he asked. Kida looked at him and shrugged.

"You can join me and Tsunade." Jiraiya's mouth fell open. Kida looked at him.

"Not that I'm being unfair. If you sparred with me, you wouldn't learn any of the fighting techniques." She paused and thought for a moment. "Actually, by that standard, you should spar with Orochimaru-sama, seeing as he's the one least likely for you to hit on."

Tsunade laughed, Jiraiya hung his head, and Orochimaru sighed. Kida turned away and curled up in the blankets they'd given her, staring blankly at the fire.

-The Next Day-

They rose early, having found that Kida had not woken them for any of their watches, and they'd all been given a full night's rest.

"You're the one injured!" Tsunade protested. "You can't treat your body this badly, it'll give out!"

"I'm fine. Let's go." was all Kida would say in reply. Finally, the other three gave up and they moved out.

All day, Orochimaru wondered about this strange woman. As things added up, he was starting to doubt she was human at all. But what would that make her?

Glancing sideways at her, he was startled to find her looking up at the sky, not paying attention to where she was going, and still keeping up. What surprised him the most were the tears running down her cheeks.

_She probably wants to go home. Human or not, she's in a bad situation. And she's done nothing to hurt us._ He reasoned.

Smoke rose up ahead, and he slowed the pace, noting that Kida slowed too, without looking around. She quickly wiped her eyes and looked over at him questioningly.

He nodded. "We've reached the front lines."


	4. Chapter 3:The Front Lines

**A/N: Thanks again to my beta Azzie (Inkfire) for doing such a quick and great job! And for being my only reviewer-LOLZ. I love you so much Az!**

**I do see hits-BUSTED!-please review! It would help my self-esteem greatly, so if you wish to see more of this story, please tell me! Arigato-gozaimasu! XD**

A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Three: The Front Lines:

Smoke billowed around them, obscuring their vision. Orochimaru kept a close eye on the shadowy figures of his allies, anyone else was a foe.

A whistling sound to his left alerted him of an incoming kunai soaring towards his head. He easily drew his own and deflected it, already aiming a punch at the ninja behind the kunai's stomach that sent the man flying.

There was a bright flash of light and the smoke cleared for an instant. Orochimaru could make out Tsunade and Jiraiya, and a few others he recognized with Konoha crests. One of them lunged for Kida. She pushed him aside.

"I'm fighting with you, dumbass!" she snapped. The ninja she'd pushed aside snarled at her.

"Yeah right! Freak!" he spat.

Orochimaru jumped in. "No, she's telling the truth. She's helped our cause more than you have so far, seeing as she just joined, to be honest."

The man let out an annoyed growl before turning back to the the enemy ninja.

"Thanks." Kida murmured, jumping aside and striking a ninja who'd tried to separate them. The man fell to the ground, and Orochimaru had a feeling that though the move was much like what she'd used on Tsunade the first night, this man was not unconscious.

Orochimaru nodded and leapt away to help Jiraiya.

Kida whirled in her own circle of fighting until she noticed an eerie silence settling over the battlefield. She struck the last man in front of her and turned, dropping into a low crouch. The Konoha ninja were the only ones left standing, all gaping at her.

She stood as Orochimaru approached her carefully.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Fine. The rest of you?"

"Only minor injuries."

Tsunade and Jiraiya limped over. Tsunade knelt beside Jiraiya and started to heal him before leaving him with some food and water to approach Kida and Orochimaru. Kida looked up first.

"I'm fine."

Orochimaru waved his teammate away. "Tend to the more severely injured first."

Tsunade nodded and moved away. Orochimaru turned back to Kida.

"Are you tired at all?"

"Not really. You?"

"Enough." He sat down carefully, wincing as some of the deeper wounds throbbed.

"Here." Kida murmured, kneeling beside him. "I'm a healer too." She looked up and met his eyes for a moment, waiting for his permission. When he nodded, she pressed her hands against each of his wounds, healing him.

Once she was done, she leaned back on her heels. "I can't do anything to replenish your chakra, you'll have to have Tsunade-chan see to that. But I can heal your physical injuries."

"You might want to mention that to her." Orochimaru suggested, and Kida nodded.

"Will you be okay?"

"Yes. I think she went that way." he said, pointing.

Kida nodded and ran off after Tsunade.

_So she really can't do anything with or involving chakra. And it has no effect on her whatsoever. I'm glad she's on our side. She may not use taijutsu, but whatever she learned is much better!_

He watched her run off, her skirt flowing around her long legs and her long white hair rippling behind her.

Sighing, he tried to sit up and fell back, shaking. The battle had been going on for five days, as reinforcements kept arriving, and they'd fought through day and night several times. Everyone was exhausted, even Kida looked completely worn out.

"There's more!" Tsunade called desperately.

Kida and Orochimaru jumped together, and Jiraiya went off in search of Tsunade to make sure she was all right.

The other ninja just sighed and assumed battle stations, preparing for another long battle.

Kida tapped Orochimaru on the shoulder to get his attention. "They don't seem like they heard Tsunade's warning." she whispered.

"Maybe, maybe not. Why does it matter?" he whispered back. "We're all too tired to catch them by surprise."

"I'm not."

"We are."

"Orochimaru-sama..."

"What?"

Kida looked down uncomfortably for a moment. When she glanced up, she met his eyes with that serious gaze of hers, her eyes a clear, innocent blue. "How much do you trust me?"

"A lot less now that you asked that question."

That little comment seemed to amuse her. "Enough to let me take this guys out?"

"Alone? You're insane!" he informed her. "Absolutely not."

"I could say I will either way, but I really do prefer to have permission." she retorted. "I don't want to see any more of you hurt more than you already are!"

"I'm coming along, at the very least, if not Tsunade and Jiraiya too."

"That's it."

He nodded reluctantly.

"Then I have a request to make of you all before we do this."

"Let's find the other two first."

She agreed, and they followed the direction Jiraiya had taken, Kida quickly locating their two friends. She said it was because she could hear them, but Orochimaru couldn't sense them at all, and seriously doubted that it was the case.

Kida glanced worriedly over at him several times on the short trip, once asking if he felt all right. He merely muttered something along the lines of "I'm fine" and continued following her.

Kida turned back to the front, easily dodging around a tree before checking on Orochimaru again.

_Why am I so worried about him? Out of all of them, he's probably the strongest. _

_ It's because he's not like me. I don't really know what he's capable of. Sure, he's strong for one of his kind, but even he has a limit somewhere. And he clearly doesn't like admitting being in pain. So I won't know when he's tired or hurt...and after everything they've done for me, I feel responsible for them...That's all!_ She promised herself. _Nothing more! I can't stay here for too long!_

Even as she made the excuses, she knew it was too late. She cared, more than she should. About all of them. Even Jiraiya.

_Kamni!_ (Damn!)

Finally, they found Tsunade and Jiraiya, both of whom looked tense and ready to fight. Kida beckoned them over and quickly explained.

"I'm going to ambush them. Yes, alone." she added, seeing Jiraiya's face.

"By yourself?" he exclaimed. "No! There's no way I could allow that!"

"Yes, by myself, I believe that's part of the definition of 'alone', and since when do you have any authority over what I do?" she snapped, her eyes blazing with raw power for a moment. Her body literally glowed. Jiraiya shut up quickly, awed into silence.

"I really do wish to help you win your war. But I can only do so if you refrain from questioning me about my origins or what methods I use. I cannot answer, or I will die. It is a spiritual bind. There is nothing I can do about it. Can you promise not to interrogate me?" she asked.

"Is this really the only way?" Orochimaru checked.

"Yes, or I would not have mentioned it." Kida replied. She really did look truly sorry for putting them through this. By village law, she would have to be investigated.

"I can promise that I will not ask you anything along those lines, and will try my best to make excuses to the superiors, but I cannot guarantee the village will agree." Orochimaru said carefully.

Kida nodded. "I understand how that works." She looked at Tsunade and Jiraiya.

"Of course." Tsunade assured her. "I'll back you up to the superiors as well."

"Thank you." Kida said, and they could tell it was heartfelt. She smiled her first truly happy smile since they'd met her, and it left them all speechless.

Then she glanced once more at Jiraiya, waiting for his answer.

"Of course. That's what we're here for!" he exclaimed, reaching out to drape an arm across her shoulders. For once, she didn't resist. Instead, she hugged first him, then Tsunade, and then turned to Orochimaru, hesitating slightly for some reason.

Looking up, she saw the sadness in his eyes and figured he got this a lot. He did look awfully inhuman, with his pale skin, slit pupils, golden eyes, and the purple markings around his eyes. That and he was male, she was pretty sure, despite the possibility of makeup on his eyes, the way he wore his hair long in a feminine fashion, and the fact he wore earrings in his pierced ears. That alone would scare most people off, even where she came from.

_Well, I don't discriminate. It's just..._ she could tell her face was getting warm, and wondered if this was 'blushing'. She'd never known this feeling before, but it made her shy and self-conscious, the opposite of her normal confident self.

Steeling her nerves for him to push her away, she stepped quickly forward and hugged him.

Orochimaru's eyes opened wide in shock. Although no one alive knew it, this was the first time anyone outside of his parents had ever willingly hugged him out of sheer happiness.

It only lasted a moment, but it was long enough for him to hesitate awkwardly before wrapping his arms around her and holding her tightly.

"Jiraiya's right, you know." he whispered. "We're here for you, no matter how strange your request is. That's what teammates-and friends-are for."

She smiled, radiating sheer joy. It took a few moments for the sun to truly sink, and then she shone brilliantly, a golden glow surrounding them for a few moments before Tsunade broke the moment.

"Kida...you're glowing." she stated. "They'll find us in no time!"

Kida jumped, startled, and realized she and Orochimaru had been too close for too long. She couldn't even remember anything but this feeling of another warm body besides her own, of his strong arms around her..._Snap out of it!_ She panicked internally.

In reality, she jumped away, her panic taking over, and turning off the soft glow that had previously surrounded them.

"Hide! Hurry!" she hissed, shoving Jiraiya towards a stand of bushes. "Behind bushes, in trees, doesn't matter! Just hide!"

Orochimaru darted past her swiftly and silently, not meeting her eyes.

_Oh no...he's hurt._ She pushed her concern away. _Better now than to get his hopes up first._ She told herself. But she still felt let down.

Sighing, she turned to see that Tsunade had already hidden.

And the enemy were closing in on them.

"This way!" a deep male voice called. "It was over here!"

Kida turned, stepping quickly into the shadows. Four ninja burst into the clearing, and were immediately surrounded by blue flames. One of them had used water chakra, and sprayed gallons of water everywhere in an effort to put out the flames. Another tried using the mud which had been created by his teammate the water manipulator.

All in vain. The flames crept up on them, leaving no marks behind, and the ninja realized too late that it wasn't a normal fire. They opened their mouths but found themselves unable to scream. The fire devoured them quickly and silently, a quiet crackling the only sound in the clearing.

Kida collapsed in a heap on the ground, exhausted and coughing up blood. Orochimaru was the first to reach her side, Tsunade a close second. Jiraiya scanned the perimeter and sent out word to search for any more enemy cells before joining them.

Tsunade knelt hopelessly beside her friend, in clear distress due to the fact that she could not heal this one, couldn't help or do anything.

One of the Konoha ninja showed up next, bringing word that the coast was clear and two cells were staying to manage the area. They were to backtrack to the nearest safe village until Kida recovered. Four cells would wait at various locations to continue their defense before returning to their invasion.

Orochimaru nodded his thanks at the ninja before picking Kida up and setting off quickly towards the last village they had passed. If he remembered right, the one lodge still undamaged was only left so because of the natural hot springs. A hot springs resort might be just what Kida needed to recover.


	5. Chapter 4: Bonding Through the Steam

**A/N: Rewritten of the original. Much of it is the same, a few fixes thanks to my beta Azzie (Inkfire), and I added a quick scene towards the end. :D Enjoy! **

A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Four: Bonding Through the Steam:

Laughter echoed off the brightly lit walls, as three teammates sat drinking together, none looking too concerned for their friend at the moment. Kida had proved to be a quick healer, even after falling from the sky into a whole different world, so this should be nothing.

They were right, for even as they sat drinking and laughing, she watched them from the shadows, careful not to let them see her, lest they invite her to drink with them. Alcohol was fatal to her, and she couldn't risk them asking questions in their intoxicated state.

Sighing, she went back to the room she and Tsunade would share, staring longingly at the sky.

_"Stars shining up in the sky,_

_I never really wondered why,_

_People down here loved so much,_

_Or considered it a crutch, _

_A weakness, per say,_

_An excuse for them to lose their way,_

_But now I believe,_

_in the power of Eve,_

_That love is as gentle as a dove,_

_Yet as strong as we believe._

_It gives them the strength to keep going,_

_Even when everything is flowing,_

_all the wrong way,_

_and they must keep fighting,_

_hoping and sighting_

_Us in the sky,_

_never knowing why,_

_we shine down on them night after night,_

_and never speak, merely glow bright._

_But now this time has come,_

_For us to have our say, and then some,_

_We can learn much from each other,_

_If only we could take from them a lover."_

Her song was cut off by the door opening just a crack. She sighed but didn't look away from the starry night sky outside the window. Whoever had entered closed the door quietly, then stepped silently across the floor to her side. From the patient rhythm of the footsteps, she knew it was not Tsunade or Jiraiya.

So she was not surprised when Orochimaru spoke.

"You miss your home, don't you?"

She nodded without looking up, genuine tears forming in her eyes and running down her cheeks, despite her efforts to prevent this or hide them once it was clear she had failed the first objective.

He sat calmly beside her and put an arm around her, trying his best to comfort her.

Kida finally broke down, resting her head against his shoulder and crying.

He gently stroked her long, white hair, not wanting to see her so sad, and yet understanding why she felt that way.

"I swear, whatever it takes, I'll help you get home." he promised quietly, looking up at the stars.

The next morning, they ate quietly. Kida spoke once to ask how long they would be here, and Orochimaru replied that it'd few more days at least, since she healed too quickly for a human. He explained that they had passed it off as overuse of chakra, but that always took a few days to recover from, and so unless she wanted people asking questions, it was better just to stay put. Kida merely nodded after that, picking up on the pounding headaches of Tsunade and Jiraiya, although in her private opinion, it served them right.

She rose with Orochimaru and they went out to a small garden by the side of the inn, sitting amongst the flowers in peaceful silence until she looked up and asked the question she'd been pondering since the night before.

"Orochimaru-sama, why aren't you sick like Tsunade-chan and Jiraiya-kun?" she asked.

He laughed. "I just have a little more resistance to the effects of alcohol, I guess." he replied, amused. He looked over at her curiously. "Now do I get to ask you a question?" he asked.

Seeing the way she stiffened and flashed him a warning look, he quickly assured her: "Nothing about you being different, just curious. You've picked up a lot of intel on us, but we know very little about you-even just as a person. It's not exactly fair." he pointed out, still smiling.

Kida couldn't help but smile back. "All right, then. I reserve the right not to answer any dangerous questions, though."

Orochimaru nodded. That made sense. He looked around, hoping for inspiration for a question-not too lame, but quickly!-and asked suddenly, "What kinds of flowers do you like?"

She looked startled for a second, until she glanced around and saw that they were surrounded by flowers. Laughing, she answered, "Gloxinia."

"What?"

Kida reached out and carefully picked a beautiful flower from the ones surrounding them, holding it out towards him. "You?"

Orochimaru looked up, startled to see that she'd leaned closer, reaching out towards him with her flower. Her hair fell across her shoulders, almost reaching the ground she was kneeling on, as her blue eyes reflected the clear sky back at him.

Looking around, he admitted: "I don't know much about flowers...but...this one." he decided, picking up a red tulip.

For some reason, Kida blushed, a warm pink rising in her cheeks as he tucked the flower in her hair.

"What?" he asked, meeting her eyes. She looked quickly away before admitting "I know what flowers mean."

"And? What do these two mean?"

"This one," she said, touching the one in her hair, "is a red tulip. It means 'declaration of love'."

"Oh. I didn't know that." he replied, not really looking at her as he thought _But maybe there's some truth to it anyway._

She smiled as his thought echoed in her head. Normally she wouldn't spy, but she knew there was no way either of them would admit it out loud.

"What about your...Gloxinya?" he asked.

_I hoped he'd forget that one._

"Gloxinia?" She laughed at his mispronunciation. "It actually means 'love at first sight'."

Orochimaru's eyes widened. _Is there a meaning behind this?_ Squashing down the happiness that thought brought him, he considered it carefully.

_I know for a fact that she's not human, however much she looks like one. Which makes anything of that nature impossible. She must just be trying to get information._

He stood suddenly. "I'd better go check on Tsunade and Jiraiya." he said coldly.

Kida looked shocked, then hurt. "Okay..." she said quietly, looking at the ground.

_Damn! I'm so used to people throwing themselves at me I don't realize it's only because of what I am, not who I am. Why would anyone like me for who I am, anyway? I'm really no one special._

She sighed, trying to push the tears away with anger, but it didn't work. Because she really couldn't be mad at him-it wasn't his fault, it was hers, for being such an idiot and getting her hopes up!

Tsunade showed up a few minutes later to find Kida sitting amongst the flowers like a statue, tears flowing silently down her face.

Tsunade knelt carefully beside her and put an arm around her. "What happened?" she asked quietly.

Kida looked up and, seeing who it was, wiped away her tears. "I'm an idiot." she replied.

"No you're not. Boys are idiots. Come on, a dip in the hot springs is just what this doctor is prescribing! With chocolate!" Tsunade exclaimed, pulling Kida to her feet.

As they went inside to change, Tsunade glanced over at the other woman. "If you don't mind me asking, who was it?" she asked.

Kida looked down for a long moment before sighing. "Orochimaru-sama." she replied. Tsunade's eyes grew huge.

"WHAT?!"

"Would you rather it be Jiraiya-kun?"

"No...he wouldn't have left you crying and alone like that...I just..."

"They're your teammates, of course you wouldn't see them like that. To be honest, I don't know if anyone could see Jiraiya-kun like that." Kida teased.

Tsunade shook her head. "Those women are the true idiots here."

The two girls laughed as they walked into the changing room.

"Gomenasai ladies, but we had a slight issue with the ladies springs. We have temporarily transferred everyone to the mixed bathing house. We are very sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you." A young woman wearing a uniform informed them.

Kida sighed. "Let's go."

"Wait." Tsunade said, grabbing her arm. "Who would be in there at this time of the day?"

Kida looked at her for a moment, then smirked. "No one."

"Exactly. You're not getting out of this that easily!" Tsunade marched Kida down the hall arm in arm.

Kida looked at her sideways for a moment. _Is this what friends are like?_

Tsunade caught her looking and flashed her companion a questioning look.

"Arigato, Tsunade-chan." Kida said simply.

"...You're welcome." Tsunade replied, somehow understanding it was something Kida needed to say. Whether it made sense to her or not.

They walked into the steam-filled room and dropped their towels before slipping into the water. Kida immediately dunked her head under, but she could hear voices and someone whistling even through the water. She jerked her head back up with a yelp, choking on the hot liquid as she did so.

Tsunade swam across the pool and moments later, there was the sound of someone getting hit.

Kida shook her head at her friend's antics before gliding gracefully after her.

As the steam cleared in front of her, she could see Jiraiya lying facedown in the water, unconscious. Pale arms reached out and turned him over so his face wasn't immersed. Tsunade slapped him briskly, and his eyes shot open. Kida missed most of the ensuing argument over Jiraiya's pervertedness and whose fault it was they were all in here together anyway as she froze, her heart jumping in her chest, and sank up to her shoulders in the water. Too late, but it made her feel somewhat better. She could feel his amber eyes on her, could feel her skin heating up, and knew she was blushing again.

Orochimaru couldn't blame Jiraiya for whistling. Kida looked perfect. _If she wanted information that way, she could certainly get it. Even from me._ He admitted to himself. _But she's not trying. It's almost as if she really meant it. But she knows we're human, and she's not. How could anything possibly happen?_

_Then again, she must have a human body at the moment...that would work. It might also subject her to human feelings, which would be confusing for her._

His gaze softened as he watched the young woman blush and turn away. Uncertain of what to do, he hesitantly reached out, and once Jiraiya saw her, a rather mischievous look in his eye, more confidently grabbed her arm and pulled her over to the side with him.

"Jiraiya." Orochimaru hissed in a warning tone. Jiraiya raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

"Gomen, Kida. I didn't mean to scare you." he apologized quickly, mindful of his snake-like friend glaring at him.

Kida just nodded acceptance before a platter of snacks showed up.

"Seriously?" she asked, turning to Tsunade. Orochimaru noticed, and felt a pang of regret. Before, she would have turned to him. Now, he could see that in pushing her away, he'd pushed her into hanging around Tsunade more.

_Why are girls so complicated?_

Tsunade looked at Jiraiya. "I think we all know whose fault that is."

"Fault? Since when don't you appreciate free food?" Jiraiya exclaimed. He looked over at Kida. "Especially you. No offense, you're scrawny. Eat something!" he urged, pushing the food over to her.

She remained turned away from all of them, her cheeks bright red. Jiraiya looked around, confused, before Tsunade threw a towel at him.

He made a face at her before wrapping the towel around his hips. "Better?" he asked sarcastically.

Tsunade just sighed. She turned to Kida apologetically. "Men...can't do anything with them."

Kida laughed it off easily, but she still looked uncomfortable.

Jiraiya tossed her an apple as a peace offering, and she caught it reflexively, looking uncertainly at it for a moment before glancing up at him and smiling. Jiraiya smiled back, for once not looking at her as an attractive woman but a friend who needed confidence.

Orochimaru glanced over at the young woman and sighed. There was something going on here that he couldn't understand. What was she really?

_And yet she made us promise not to ask._

"Ne, Kida?" he asked uncertainly.

"Mmm?" she replied, her mouth full of apple as she looked over with wide, questioning eyes.

"Is it just me or do you not use chakra?"

Kida stiffened, and the other two stared at him in shock and warning.

"I'm not asking where you're from or what you are, but if it's possible, would you like to learn?" he continued.

Kida hesitated, looking thoughtful. "It might be useful, however I don't know if it's possible." she replied carefully.

"What do you mean _what_ she is? She's human Orochi! What else?" Jiraiya exclaimed.

Orochimaru watched Kida's reaction carefully-she ducked her head away, looking sad. She wasn't and she knew it.

The next thing they knew, Jiraiya was beside her, trying to get her to swim more.

"Why?" Kida asked, confused. He pulled her against him, leaning in to try and kiss her. Tsunade was bathing in the corner, but Orochimaru saw the strange glow surrounding the young woman, and then she suddenly appeared only a foot away from him, looking away, as Jiraiya proceeded to make out rather eagerly with a stone statue of a mermaid. Orochimaru blinked, and once Tsunade saw, she busted a rib laughing.

"Having fun, Jiraiya?" she called. Jiraiya looked up.

"You're just jeal-" He broke off as he noticed the rock. "What the-" Glaring at Kida, he moved after her, but she splashed him in the face and swam away. Orochimaru frowned thoughtfully, earning himself a scolding from Tsunade on his inability to have fun, and her insistence that they play a game to make up for it.

The four spent some more time more in the hot springs before separating to get dressed. As they left, Orochimaru heard Tsunade say to Kida, "I can't believe he seriously implied you're not human! Come on!"

She laughed, but even though he was listening carefully, Orochimaru couldn't hear Kida even pretending to laugh.

_It's true...she's not human. But she's on our side, and we need all the help we can get. _

More than anything else, Kida seemed lonely. It was almost as if she'd never had friends before, never flirted with a man before, _never felt emotions before_?

That thought stopped him dead. What kinds of creatures couldn't feel emotions but could take human form? Sighing, he decided to do some research before nightfall.

"Jiraiya?"

A girlish squeal answered him. "Jiraiya?" Orochimaru called.

"I'm going back in!" Jiraiya called back.

"Oh no you're not!" His teammate grabbed his arm and dragged him back inside.

"What creatures don't feel emotions but can take human form?"

"I'm not playing your games now, Orochi, the girls!"

"It's not a game!"

"Sure, sure." Jiraiya flapped his hand. "You're always more into research than anything else. I'm going for the girls. You can come-but don't embarrass me-or stay, I don't care. But some day you're going to have to grow up and pull your head out of those books of yours!"

Orochimaru stood frozen as his friend walked out the door. He was still standing there when Tsunade knocked hours later.

"Hello?" she called, sticking her head in. "Oh, there you are! Where's Jiraiya?" She stepped inside completely, Kida close behind her.

Tsunade took a close look at Orochimaru's face and decided he was sick. "What's wrong?" she asked, pushing him down on a mat and snapping her fingers in his face.

"Nothing. I'm fine." he insisted, pushing her away.

"You look like a ghost." Kida commented, kneeling on his other side. She laid her hand across his face, checking for a fever, and recoiled abruptly in shock. Tsunade looked at her.

"It's not that bad. If you've been in the hot springs you shouldn't be that sensitive to heat."

"Just surprising, that's all. He seemed fine before." Kida replied.

"He's been acting odd for a while. I'm going to run and get some medicines, you stay here with him. Come get me if anything bad happens."

Kida nodded and Tsunade raced out of the room. Then she turned to Orochimaru and said simply, "You're right."


	6. Chapter 5: Not Human: The Truth

A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Five: Not Human-the Truth:

Silence reigned supreme in a little room amongst the hustle and bustle of a prestigious hot springs resort, one of the few buildings left standing in the little town ravaged by war and a recent battle.

The sounds of people working on construction rang through the air outside, echoing emptily against the walls of the resort.

"I'm...right?" Orochimaru asked from his spot on the floor. He sat up. "Then why are you helping us? If you have the power to leave this world why don't you?"

"I'm exhausted. To you, it seems like I recover quickly, but those are only physical wounds. My strength is so exhausted it's hard for me to stay awake." Kida explained quietly. She stared at the floor, not meeting his gaze, looking sad and defeated.

"You're helping me at a time when I need it most. My people by law would have abandoned me. We don't risk more lives than we have to. Once upon a time, I believed the same. But now I realize...your people have more strength than we ever gave you credit for."

"So we know of your kind?"

"You used to. There was a civilization here once, from millions, billions of years ago up until the Five Great Shinobi Nations formed. Once shinobi started their reign, my people died out."

Orochimaru racked his brains. "I've never heard of anything like that."

"They were human, just with longer life spans and certain healing powers."

"Oh...you're Atlantian?" he guessed.

Kida tilted her head. "Sort of."

"Could you give me a straight yes or no if I really was right?"

"Yes."

Silence again. Then finally, Orochimaru lifted his head. "I don't get it. How are you sort of-wait! Is it that you're descended from them mixed with human blood-"

"No. They are descended from my family. All of you are, to some extent." suddenly she looked horrified. She probably hadn't meant to give that much away.

"But in order for that to be true, you'd have to be a goddess of some sort, a first family-type-" he froze, falling silent. "That's it, isn't it? You're a goddess?"

"As much as you are a genius. Humans are more intelligent than I was led to believe." she whispered. "Yes."

He sat there gaping at her for a moment, then thought of something.

_Aren't people supposed to bow or something? Not look them in the eye? Respectful...?_

But before he could move, she was shaking her head. "My family instigated such rules of formality to make themselves feel important. It's not necessary. I, for one, prefer friends over servants. And do not tolerate slaves." her lip curled in disgust. "I hate some of the things my people do, but I cannot go against my parents' rules."

"How old are you really?" Orochimaru asked. If she was living with her parents, she had to be pretty young.

"Twenty-four. In your human years, much older. I cannot leave my parents house-once I marry, it will become mine and my husband's." she explained.

"Oh...matriarchal society?"

"No...the men have all the power." she replied, her mouth twisting in a grimace. "I don't like it, but they say 'of course you wouldn't' and nothing gets changed."

Orochimaru looked down at the floor. "If they gave you a chance, you could win. You'd deserve it. You could probably run whatever government you might have better than they do." he teased.

She laughed. "We'll see." she said, rolling her eyes.

Right then Tsunade walked back in with her med kit, and saw Orochimaru and Kida sitting together and laughing. He looked perfectly fine. She knelt beside him and ran a quick diagnosis before turning to Kida and asking "Are you a secret healer out to take my job?"

Which started them both laughing again. "No." Kida replied. "He was just making himself ill wondering."

"Wondering what?" Tsunade asked.

Kida shrugged. "Distractions help." Tsunade nodded, misinterpreting Kida's words-just as the-the _goddess_-Orochimaru thought-had intended.

After Tsunade had left, Kida turned back to him.

"Please don't tell anyone. I much prefer the way things were when no one knew...it's so much easier to fit in. Sometimes we're all just human. We all need laughter and fun and friends and hugs and love. We all cry and bleed sometimes, just different colors with different effects."

"I won't tell." Orochimaru cut her off.

"Arigato-gozaimasu." she replied, bowing formally in thanks.

"Although if you don't want me to start with formalities, then you shouldn't either. Which also means drop the -sama. Especially seeing as -kun is much more appropriate." he teased, laughing at the look on her face.

Kida hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay."

They looked at each other for a moment, until Kida started blushing, smiling tentatively, before they both started laughing.

Neither of them knew that the other was thinking the exact same thing: _What is this happy feeling?_

Lying awake that night, Orochimaru couldn't help wondering about her...why was she really here? Why was she injured when they found her? What kind of wars would gods fight? And yet...he'd promised not to ask about those things. He had already come too close to breaking that rule many times.

_I wonder if she can read my mind all the time, or only when she's trying. Is telepathy possible?_

_ Yes._

He sat bolt upright, startling Jiraiya, who had been trying to sneak in without Orochimaru noticing.

"What is it?" Jiraiya asked, concerned after seeing the look on his teammate's face.

"Nothing. Just a thought." Orochimaru replied. Jiraiya looked at him oddly for a moment, then shrugged it off easily.

_Kida?_

_Yes. Yes, telepathy is possible. And yes I hear all your thoughts all the time, but I can choose to...'block' them out, if you will. It takes effort though. Most of the time it's not worth it._

A sly smirk curled the corners of Orochimaru's lips.

_So you know everything we've been thinking? _

_ Yes...and what you're thinking now. By the way, yes this is partly how I know you so well. A person's thoughts can tell you a lot about their personality._

_ I'll bet. So?_

_ So what?_

_ You're just avoiding the question now aren't you?_

_ Yes._

He could sense her amusement at toying with him like this.

_Not 'toying'. I try not to do that. And in answer...I don't know. In order for you to understand, I'd have to tell you much more than I ever planned on any of you knowing. And yet...Somehow I feel I can trust you._

_ You don't have to tell me anything if it's that complicated._

_ I should. You've earned it._

_ Earned it?_

_ Very well. _An image of the garden they'd been in before appeared in his mind as her voice whispered in his head _five minutes._

Orochimaru sprang up and wrapped a robe around himself before rushing out of the room, ignoring completely Jiraiya's startled yelp.

Kida was waiting for him, sitting amidst the flowers, looking at the sky.

Orochimaru sat beside her and waited silently until she turned to him.

Sighing, she asked, "Are you sure you want to know all of this? Knowledge can be dangerous."

"I'm sure." he replied, thinking _maybe I can help._

_Maybe. _She replied. Smiling at him when he looked up.

"See the stars?" she asked, pointing up. When he nodded, she continued. "Each one is the sun of a solar system very far away. Each solar system is surrounded by planets such as this one. Some, like this one, have life on them. And so each little world goes on in it's own path. Some don't have ninja, none others have chakra, some have creatures called 'elves' and some called 'dwarves'. Some even have 'wizards' and 'witches', which are the same thing, except a wizard is a man who wields magic and a witch is a woman of the same power." she explained.

"Some worlds are much more technologically advanced and know about the planets outside of their own. None have discovered other life forms. The planets are so far apart it would take several lifetimes to reach another one. Although some forms of elves are immortal, so they probably could make it. But they don't know anything about this. Only that the stars are gods and have extraordinary powers. Which isn't entirely true."

Orochimaru sat listening silently, absorbing all this information without comment. Until he broke in, "But how...?"

"I am technically a star, not a goddess. Gods and goddesses survive on worship alone. I do not. A star can choose to be a god, or any race of mortal. Few do. We are essentially the worst and most powerful creatures of the universe-everything that exists." she explained, hearing the question in his mind. "We feel no emotions whatsoever-until we come in contact with one who does, apparently."

"So that's why you couldn't answer my question before."

"Yes."

"What do your people do, then, if you are all immortal?"

"Mostly? We party. Especially my clan. Our greatest strength is music, which means we are closer to feeling emotion than any others. We're rich and selfish. But right now...we're at war."

"War? Who could challenge you?" Orochimaru asked in disbelief.

"To understand that you must understand where we came from." Kida replied. She sighed. "But since Tsunade and Jiraiya are both out and won't be returning until nightfall, I don't suppose there's any reason to put it off."

"How do you know that?" Orochimaru asked in disbelief. Kida just smirked at him.

"Every religion has its' own beliefs about where they came from. And all are true. Those people each came from where they believe. But one being created those gods, one being created and laid the foundation for all worlds. She is the Mother of the Universe, the mother of our kind. We are the closest to resembling her, her direct descendants if you will. However, when she gave up authority to her children, those chosen for the higher nobility of course did not change. Those deemed 'lesser' grew discontent. They grew darkness within their souls." She pulled a cord around her neck, drawing the charm on her necklace out to show him.

Except it wasn't a charm. "This is my soul." she explained. "If this were to be removed from my neck, I would not necessarily 'die' so much as merely cease to exist. It's said to be more peaceful than death. I would join the Mother Krystal until it came time for me to inhabit a new body. Once reborn, we retain no memories of past lives. Depending on our lives, we could be reborn as anything in any world. But each soul was split in half during creation, and when those halves find each other, their children are very strong and important."

"What about the darkness?" The crystal on its cord shone a vivid blue, glowing gently.

"They are now called Daemons, and inhabit every world in some way. Their Krystals," she tapped the fragment of her soul gently, "are black. They create all darkness-night, storms, and evil. They cause doubt, fear, and confusion. The short of it is: We have spent the days since our Mother the Phoenix cut her own cord and moved on fighting these Daemons. It is said that she will be reborn from unusual parentage, soul mates of course, one of those with a whole Krystal, and yet... 'weakened by her own blood, she will possess extraordinary strength. Her Krystal shall be red with the fire of life, as her former form's was.' So far, no such child has been born. We do not even fully understand the prophecy, made by the Phoenix herself on her dying bed."

"Our true forms vary depending on our souls. My clan, for example, have wings. We are creatures of the sky, and manipulate our power through dance. We appreciate beauty greatly, and can be a bit on the vain side." she joked lightheartedly.

"So these Daemons are your own kind, but wish to destroy all life?"

"Evil, yes. Do they wish to destroy all life? No, since that would include themselves. They wish to destroy the Mother Krystal, which is said to still contain the soul of the Phoenix, waiting for the right time to take a new life."

Orochimaru's head was spinning. If he accepted this tall tale as true...

"Can you see the future?"

"No. But I can sense when I meet someone who will be important to the fate of my people. And you are one such person. At first, I doubted myself, but now I think I see the truth." she whispered.

"The truth?" Orochimaru asked.

"You will learn in good time. Do not worry." Kida replied, standing. "Now you should rest, though."

Orochimaru thought about protesting, but stopped when he realized what a huge headache he was getting. Kida laughed softly.

"It's a lot for your mind to process, whether you admit it or not." she told him, smiling. She stood to leave, but Orochimaru didn't want her to go just yet.

"Will they target you here?" he asked.

"Probably not. If they do, my people will come. Our purpose is to protect the worlds." she replied. "No more questions. Rest now."

The way she said it, like an order, startled him a bit. He'd never before considered her as a commanding figure, but, thinking everything over now as he looked at her, he could believe it. She cared for her comrades and would do whatever it took to complete a mission while keeping injuries and fatalities to a minimum. Exactly what Chunin and above needed.

"You could be a great ninja if you stayed." he mumbled, suddenly feeling extremely sleepy. He glared at her before his eyes closed completely, knowing it was her fault.

Before he gave up entirely, he heard her whisper, with pain in her voice, "I wish I could."


	7. Chapter 8: Ninjutsu Lessons

**A/N: Sorry for the wait! I'm hoping to update more regularly now! School's almost out, so that helps! :D Thanks to my beta Azzie(Inkfire) for editing and reviewing! -Yes, I've noticed!-;D Enjoy!  
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A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Six: Training:

Sunlight shone on a small clearing in the forest. A little river ran through the clearing, bubbling happily. Emerald green grass rippled in the gentle breeze, and the leaves on the trees swayed gently.

Two figures stood facing each other in the center of the clearing. The man's black hair blew in the wind, flowing elegantly behind him. The woman's white hair did the same, a mirror image-yet opposite in color.

"Are you sure about this?" Orochimaru asked. Kida simply nodded.

_How can you be greater than this world and not have the skills of a ninja?_ He wondered.

"I was never intended to blend in with your people. Merely awe you." She smirked. "Now I am trying to do the opposite."

He just nodded, then took a deep breath. "Okay. Let's try this."

They spent the next two weeks training her to be a ninja. She learned quickly, and although mistakes were made on both sides, all in all, the training turned out to be a success. Tsunade helped the star with taijutsu and strength, although Orochi often suspected Kida was holding back on purpose. Jiraiya taught her about 'love' through his simply stalking her. He lavishly described emotions and his theories on how their world worked. Mostly, Kida remained silent. Orochi thought that was because she knew all the answers but wasn't willing to give them away.

Once, when confronted about this, she simply said "He's right about more than most of you, but wrong on a few crucial points." And refused to say more.

After two weeks, they figured it was time to head back into the fray.

The night before they were scheduled to leave, Orochimaru approached Kida hesitantly. She stood in the garden where she'd first told him what she was, staring up at the sky, lost in thought.

"You miss them, don't you?" he asked. She jumped, for once surprised. She frowned.

"Miss who?"

"Friends...family." he clarified.

"Remember what I told you? We have little emotional attachment."

A thought crossed his mind that puzzled him. Since she didn't answer, he asked out loud.

"So how do you marry?"

"Arranged marriage. Based on wealth and purity of blood mostly." Kida replied.

"That's sad." Orochimaru commented. Even from what little he remembered of his parents, they loved both each other and him very much. "It must be a very unhappy place."

"Happiness is an emotion, Orochi. Few of us know its truth." This shocked him.

"You don't feel pain, do you?"

She gave him a puzzled look. "I don't remember hearing of pain...what is it? It can't be an emotion..."

The ninja could only gape at her. "...Then you've never felt it."

"Probably not. Tell me." she invited, sitting, and gesturing for him to join her.

"I don't know how...It's something we all learn at a very early age."

"So it's a good thing?"

"NO." She reeled back, surprised by his vehement reaction.

"Okay, okay." she soothed, desperately trying to keep him calm.

He took a deep breath, remembering that she knew nothing of this. "I can't explain in words...but you can read my mind, can't you?"

"Yes..."

"Then I have an idea."

She held up her hand to stop him. "I've been blocking everything out for a while. I'm hoping to seem more normal." She looked up at him hopefully.

"It's working." he told her. "However, this will only work if you feel what I do." She nodded.

_Whenever you're ready._ Her voice echoed in his mind.

He took a deep breath. Pain was very familiar to him-but giving her a memory would be cheating.

_You're afraid of it._ She stated.

_Like I said. It's not a good thing._

He took out a kunai and carefully slit his arm, blood trickling out of the shallow wound. She gasped, instantly understanding.

She reached out, her hand glowing slightly, as if with chakra-like when Tsunade healed people. He held out his arm, and she gently pressed her crystal to the cut, quickly covering the slit with her glowing hand. A sensation of warmth and comfort passed over him, and when she pulled back slightly, his arm was healed.

He examined it carefully. There was no scar, no sign that he had ever been hurt there. Looking up at her, he laughed. "No wonder you've never felt pain."

She tilted her head curiously, wondering why he was laughing. She certainly hadn't enjoyed this feeling.

He shook his head, choosing to explain later. She glanced up at him quickly, then away, then back. Debating with herself. Orochimaru smiled, amused, and waited silently for her to make up her mind. Finally, she spoke.

"What's that emotion Jiraiya is always talking about?"

Orochimaru was startled. "Love?" he asked. She nodded.

"Well...wait, didn't you have classes on this stuff?" he asked suspiciously, teasing her.

"Yes...but they never described pain, and they weren't even accurate with happiness, or grief. The things I'm learning now...are so much clearer, and easier to understand."

Orochimaru nodded. Then narrowed his eyes at her. "Have you been reading anyone?"

She shook her head. "Should I?"

Frowning, he considered it. Then shook his head. "No. Love is one you must experience on your own."

"How will I know?" Kida asked, curious. She was always curious. In a way, it made him feel like he was older. Teaching her about life.

"You will. Trust me."

"What's trust?"

Orochimaru moaned. "Well..."

At least he was getting better with words and communicating with others. She could be so damn frustrating sometimes!

Later that night, Kida went to Tsunade.

"Tsunade-chan?"

"Hai?"

"How do you know if you're in love?"

Tsunade's head shot up. "Oh..." she smirked teasingly. "You are young." Kida didn't bother to correct her, just waited for an answer.

"Well..." Tsunade began. "It's usually with someone of the opposite sex. You look at them, and...how do I describe this? They make you happy. Just with the smallest things. Their smile, the look in their eyes, they're beautiful. You always want them to be happy, the way they make you feel. You feel like you're glowing when they notice you, you always want them to acknowledge you and think highly of you. It's when you like hearing someone laugh, and could listen to their voice for the rest of your life and never get bored. True love is more than wanting someone's body-don't listen to a word Jiraiya says. It's more than that. You want to spend the rest of your life with the person-and for them to be safe and happy, always."

"Love is more than just romantic love. It's a mother protecting her children, siblings looking after one another always. Even the way teammates trust and know each other can be considered a form of love."

"Does that answer your question?"

"Sort of. Is that when your heartbeat gets messed up when you see someone?"

"That's part of it. Blushing a lot is also common." Tsunade smirked knowingly. "I'm betting you're thinking of someone right about now..."

Kida's cheeks turned bright red. "Maybe." she admitted, edging towards the door.

"Go tell Orochi he's an idiot!" Tsunade called after her, laughing. "He'll understand!" Kida gave her a puzzled look, shrugged, and left.

She found Orochimaru out in the garden. It had quickly become 'their' place. She'd never seen anyone else there, anyway.

He looked up as she approached, and smiled at her. Her heart jumped, and she found herself smiling back-without forcing herself to. Something she'd gotten used to associating with him-and now she knew why.

_What if he knows? What would he think of me? What if he kisses me?_ Her cheeks burned.

"Please don't tell me you asked Jiraiya about love." he said, his face going paler than normal, if that was possible.

Something Tsunade had said during one of their previous late-night talks a week ago flitted through Kida's mind.

_Men in love get very overprotective and are easily swayed by jealousy. Don't get in their way._

Was Orochi jealous to think Jiraiya may have showed her love?

"No." she quickly reassured him. "I just figured something out on my own."

He nodded. "I thought for a while...I suspected why you were asking. If you don't mind, who is it?"

_What am I supposed to say?_

Seeing the look on her face, he quickly backtracked. "You don't have to tell anyone. I was just curious." he murmured, looking back out over the flowers.

She sighed, going to stand beside him. "Is it normal to feel the one you love is the only one who really knows you?"

"Since I've never truly experienced love, I can't say, but it does seem to be commonly stated."

Kida looked at him questioningly. He smiled. "Or maybe I should say I've never experienced love _before_."

_Is he saying...?_

"Orochi?" she whispered. She was trembling, her light blue eyes searching his dark amber ones, pleading with him, for something he couldn't quite figure out.

Then the pieces fell into place. He'd been the one teaching her about other emotions...he alone knew what she was, who she was. All the blushing, shy, tentative moments with the normally confident goddess...

Taking a chance, knowing he could well be staking his life on this assumption, he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close, gently cupping her face in one hand as he leaned closer, his eyes searching hers, trying to see if he was right, or dead.

He could feel her heartbeat pounding under his fingers as they brushed her neck, and knew.

Closing the remaining distance quickly, he pressed his lips gently to hers.


	8. Chapter 7: Moving Forward

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire)! And a notice to all readers: If you are interested in taking over for my poor beta for a little while so she can rest please PM me! :D**

A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Seven: Moving Forward:

Complete, blissful silence. No voices in her head clamoring to be heard. Not even her own heartbeat, which seemed to have paused. Not that it bothered her. It wasn't entirely necessary.

It was an odd sensation, being so close, touching someone like this, but not one she disliked.

The kiss only lasted a few moments, and she could feel and hear his heart pounding. She guessed with a smile that he probably thought he was about to die. Instead, Kida wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against his chest.

"Is this love?" she asked quietly.

Orochimaru paused. "I don't know yet. I hope so." he whispered in reply, kissing her hair gently. Kida closed her eyes, for once allowing herself to stop, to not analyze everything as a warrior or a star or anything else, and just to _feel_.

Her eyes opened wide as she realized this was something her kind had not done in millennia. They had not _felt_ anything, and to feel love was even rarer.

"Thank you." she whispered against Orochi's chest. He looked down at her curiously, but didn't ask.

That night, they consulted with Tsunade and Jiraiya. The group had had a nice rest, and had trained enough to head back out into the front lines, where hopefully Kida had learned enough that she wouldn't stand out against the ninja anymore.

"Now, we believe enemy troops will be camped here in four days. It is normally a seven-day journey. These troops need to be stopped, or our main forces here will fall." Tsunade said quickly, pointing at various locations on the map.

"When will the enemy leave that camp?" Orochimaru asked.

"We don't know." Jiraiya replied.

"I can get us there in two days, maybe one." Kida offered.

"You're supposed to be blending in." Orochimaru pointed out. Jiraiya shook his head.

"I'm pretty sure something of that magnitude-even if it were possible, it would attract attention we don't need." Tsunade replied sadly.

"It is possible, without attracting unwanted attention." Kida retorted. "I may be unable to explain how or why, but just trust me in that I can do it. If you do, we wipe out the enemy, and your people's lives are saved. If not, we don't, and they die."

"And if we die in the process?" Tsunade asked calmly.

"Then they die, but at least you tried. Isn't that what being a ninja is all about?" Kida snapped, eyes blazing like blue fire. Orochimaru reached out and laid a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"I trust her." he said quietly, immediately drawing Tsunade and Jiraiya's attention.

"Well, if Orochi the untrusting trusts her, who are we to do otherwise?" Jiraiya joked lamely. Tsunade narrowed her eyes at her teammate but nodded. She turned to Kida.

"What do we need to do?"

_Teleporting everyone might have actually been easier..._Kida groaned mentally. Having to hide like this made her feel caged, something she hated. She was a creature of the heavens, of the flying clan. Her clan always performed better in the air, without having to sneak around on the ground.

"Duck!" Jiraiya hissed. Kida ducked, and he chuckled. Tsunade slapped him.

"He's being a perv, ignore him." she told her friend.

Kida turned in time to see the glare Orochimaru sent his teammate. She smirked, remembering their kiss. Jiraiya would be jealous!

But from the confusion on his face, he didn't know.

_Well, if Orochimaru hasn't told him, I won't either._

"How much farther?" Kida called. "At this rate, we'll miss them!"

"You'll have to use whatever you can. They won't ask questions." Orochimaru whispered as he swept past her.

"I hope so." Kida muttered.

"Come here!" she called out, grabbing Orochimaru's arm. She reached out with her other hand and grabbed Tsunade's. "Jiraiya! Grab someone and hold on tight!" He complied, no questions asked. Kida let out a sigh of relief, then took a deep breath.

"Here we go."


	9. Chapter 8: Into the Fray

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire), and Your Hoshi and HauntedMonster for reviewing!  
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A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Eight: Into the Fray:

Kida paused, lifting one hand cautiously. Her star senses had detected the enemy camp long before anyone else's. Orochi stopped just behind her, scanning the trees as if he too sensed something. Tsunade looked at them suspiciously, while Jiraiya played along and faked it, not about to allow himself to appear any less than Orochimaru. Tsunade shook her head and sighed at the lot of them.

She edged forward in the direction they were looking, silently, with all the delicacy of a medic ninja, setting aside her brute strength for the moment. The others fanned out behind her, Orochimaru and Jiraiya to either side, Kida between them, directly behind Tsunade. In this arrowhead formation they approached the enemy camp.

Security proved startlingly lax. No visible guards, not even Kida sensed anyone alert for an enemy attack. She leaned over to Tsunade and breathed in her ear, "Could this be a trap?"

"Probably." Orochimaru replied softly, coming up beside her. Tsunade nodded, lifting a finger to her lips in a silent signal. Jiraiya had wandered off some time ago to 'scout out the area'. A loud crack from the other side of the clearing soon revealed his location. Orochimaru and Tsunade swore, and Kida leapt into action, her two friends on either side of her.

They raced across the camp, destroying everything they could, killing anyone who got in their way. Jiraiya came charging out of the trees and met them in the middle. Turning to face outwards, they found themselves surrounded.

"Baka!" Tsunade snarled at Jiraiya.

"You got us all trapped!" Orochimaru hissed.

"Gomen!" Jiraiya retorted. Quieter, he muttered "I was just trying to help."

Kida gave him a look, almost sympathetic. Tsunade noticed and wondered if the emotionless woman's facade was finally cracking. Orochimaru was the only one who fully understood that emotions were completely new to her. Much as someone from the Foundation would react to being thrown into a normal life, so Kida reacted to settling in here.

"Well, we came to wipe them out." Tsunade muttered.

"Now." Orochimaru whispered. As one, he and Kida lashed out at those nearest them, Kida flipping neatly over their heads to get those behind them. Tsunade slammed her fist into the ground, sending a good portion of the group opposite her flying. Many were unconscious or dead before they hit the ground. Jiraiya threw a few shuriken and leaped backwards, watching Orochimaru's back. Kida cleared out a space behind Tsunade and fought side by side with the snake ninja.

Kida's movements were so much faster than the humans' that it was hard to see her at any given time. Orochimaru swore under his breath and prayed Jiraiya and Tsunade wouldn't notice.

They worked in teams of two for a while, before Jiraiya got his arm slashed open and Tsunade stopped to heal him. Orochi and Kida paired up to watch their backs while Tsunade worked, and then Jiraiya switched out with Orochimaru, who had only a few minor scratches. Kida had already healed any worse injuries, and rolled her eyes at Tsunade's mothering. She herself barely had a mark on her. Tsunade just shook her head.

Orochimaru had to physically hold Kida back from simply taking them all down at once, warning her about blending in several times. Tsunade destroyed the landscape around them thoroughly before deciding no one was hiding underground and going to find Jiraiya amidst the wreckage.

"Watch out." Orochmaru warned quietly. "If you intend to stay unnoticed, you're going to have to cut back-" he stopped as Kida swayed, and caught her easily as she fell over backwards. "Kida?" he asked worriedly.

Tsunade reappeared with Jiraiya, and they both sighed in relief. "She's tired after all." Tsunade murmured, checking the other woman's forehead for a fever. Kida's face was flushed, and her body radiated heat.

"Poison?" Jiraiya asked, concerned. Orochimaru shook his head.

"They weren't using any, or we would have been affected." _Unless stars are immune to our poisons and poisoned by something__ else..._He sniffed the area they'd been fighting in, trying to pick up something, anything. A strong smell of alcohol led him to the tavern in the camp. He narrowed his eyes. Kida had mentioned that stars could become gods, protectors of a certain world or area within a world. To most gods, alcohol was a sin...could that be what had poisoned her?

"Kida." he said, kneeling beside her. "Is it the alcohol?" Her eyes were glazed over, but she nodded weakly. Tsunade started.

"What? She's fatally allergic to alcohol or something?" She looked disappointed.

"Sort of." Kida whispered. "Can't breathe..."

"Let's get her out of here." Jiraiya said, looking more unnerved by the minute. Orochimaru nodded, picking Kida up easily and leading the way out. They'd completed their mission.

Later that night, they sat about discussing the state of their world.

"It's not even official, but with this much fighting we're pretty much at war anyway!" Jiraiya pouted. "If it was official, we could do more."

Kida sat quietly, thinking. Orochimaru just shook his head and sighed. Tsunade glared at the frog ninja.

Orochimaru suddenly remembered why Kida was with them-waiting to recover enough to go home. "Kida?" he asked hesitantly, afraid of her answer.

"What?" she replied absentmindedly.

"When do you think you will be well enough to go home?"

"Soon. I'm well enough now that they're coming for me."

"'They'?" Jiraiya asked nervously. Kida nodded.

"I have to leave soon, whether I am able to or not."

"Won't your people help protect you?" Tsunade asked.

Kida's mouth twisted into a grimace. "Maybe. But I'm not risking your lives on that assumption." Orochimaru stared at her. She'd really opened up. When she looked up and met his gaze, he was surprised to realize he could read emotions in her eyes, a soft concern for them, her friends, and for him-whatever he was, whatever they were. She worried about them, wanted to protect them. He smiled, moving over to hug her.

"Then we'll just have to protect you instead." Tsunade offered, smiling at the snake's open display of affection. Kida snorted.

"You've seen what I can do, a fraction of it anyway. These are stronger than me by a long shot. You can't win." Orochimaru flinched. Cold, hard facts.

"We can try. It's the least we can do." Jiraiya pointed out. Kida shook her head.

"Thank you, but no." She stood, looking each of them in the eyes in turn. "They will be here soon. I must leave before then."

"How soon?" Jiraiya asked. Kida shrugged.

"They may stop along the way. A month at least. At most...I don't know." The others nodded.

"In that case," Tsunade said. "you can come back to Konoha with us and rest there." Kida hesitated before nodding.

"Before that, there is something about me that you all must know."


	10. Chapter 9: Moment of Truth

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire)! I have written the end of this story and started chapter four of the sequel already, soooo...I can honestly say 16 chaps for this story! :D Seven to go! -Don't trust my math btw- LOLZ :D  
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A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Nine: Moment of Truth:

Silence filled the room as Jiraiya and Tsunade stared at Kida, shocked beyond words. Jirayia found his voice first. "You're joking, right?"

"No." Orochimaru said quietly.

"You've known all along!" Tsunade snapped, rounding on him.

"No." he repeated.

"He guessed most of it. I just filled in the blanks because it was more dangerous to leave him with a half-impression." Kida said quietly. "Now you see the true danger. Demons will come to your world looking for me and ruin it. I can't let that happen."

"Do you have any relation to shooting stars?" Jiraiya asked suddenly from over by the window.

Kida frowned. "I've been one. It's just when we're traveling nearby. Why?"

"They're coming this way." Kida bolted for the window, blinking in shock. A few minutes later, three stars stood in the room. The two newcomers ignored the humans and spoke to Kida in their language. Kida had taught Orochimaru some of it, and when he started translating, albeit clumsily, the two warriors turned to stare at him. Then they glared accusingly at Kida.

"You don't know what's happened here so stay out of it. Or do you not trust my judgment?" Kida growled softly.

"Princess, you have compromised-!" Kida winced as Jiraiya exploded in indignation.

"Whoa, whoa, stop! Hold it right there!" he exclaimed. He stared at Kida. "Princess?"

Orochimaru's eyes were wide and his face had gone, if possible, even paler. "That might have been nice to know earlier." he croaked, looking terrified. Kida smirked.

"You're fine, quit worrying." She turned to her companions. "Shut up. I'm staying for a bit, I can't leave now. It's too dangerous, and you know that. I know you were sent to be my escort but if you can't behave I'll send you away. Got it?" They nodded, completely emotionless.

"Now that that's taken care of." Kida turned to the others. "What are we waiting for?"

The journey back to Konoha was quiet. More often than not, the two other stars were nowhere to be seen. Kida stayed with her friends, traveling and sleeping with them.

Orochimaru pulled farther and farther away, now more shy and uncertain than ever. After they returned, Kida stayed with Tsunade and became a temporary member of their team. The Third Hokage was more than kind, and almost stood in as her father, despite her being many centuries older than him. He advised her on how to deal with Orochimaru and Jiraiya each, and was always around to listen or talk with her, even while Tsunade was off drinking.

Finally, Kida went out in search of the snake ninja. Being around humans for the past month had opened her up to all kinds of emotions. Now she was more aware than ever of how she felt towards Orochimaru, and knew that though this was different than what humans felt, this was still love.

She found him in the cemetery, to her surprise. "Orochi?" she asked quietly. He jumped, turning to face her with an almost guilty look on his face. "What are you doing?" She stepped closer, seeing the names on the graves before which he stood. "Ongaku..." Orochimaru almost blushed, realizing he'd have to explain.

"My parents." he said shortly. "Our clan was well known for music and performances."

"Really? Why are your parents here?" she asked, not quite understanding the concept of death as well as he'd thought.

"They died when I was young." he whispered, a single tear falling to the ground. Kida recognized this emotion, and stepped closer, wrapping her arms around him carefully. Wordlessly, she conjured two bouquets of flowers and laid one of them on each grave. Orochimaru smiled gratefully, before taking her hand and leading her away, somewhere more peaceful and private. Without the sense of intruding upon the resting places of others.

"Why were you looking for me?" he asked as they settled into a bright clearing, lit only by starlight.

"I wanted to talk. You've been avoiding me." she accused, staring at him calmly, levelly. He looked away.

"You're a princess. A star. I'm an orphan ninja. A human. This can't work."

"Why not?" He looked up, shocked.

"Your people believe in marrying by status! I have nothing, no name, no wealth, no family, nothing to offer you!"

"That doesn't mean I believe the same. Or that I care. Not anymore." Kida looked down at her lap. "I don't want to lose you. I wish I could see you smile more often-I...I miss you. You were the first person I felt I could trust, the one who taught me how to live. I..." She broke off, unable to talk any more. She didn't know what else to say. For the first time in millennia, tears fell from the eyes of a star. Orochimaru's eyes widened, and he reached out, anything to comfort her. He wrapped her in his arms and held her tight, whispering quietly to her. She shuddered against his chest, sobbing quietly. "I don't want to go home."

Even though they both knew she had to. Desperate, he sang quietly to her, and to his relief she relaxed, her sobs quieting, the tears drying up as she stared up at the sky. Stars reflected in her eyes, and it was hard for him to remember that she used to be one of them. It just seemed so unreal. What was real was her, here in his arms, head in his lap, her smile as she met his eyes, and the warmth that came with the realization.

"I love you." She smiled even wider, glowing softly.

"I love you too." she whispered. "I Choose you." He started, eyes widening. Pretty sure that was in her language, and yet he'd understood her perfectly. Hesitantly, he reached out and brushed her hair away from her face as she sat up.

"What does that mean?" She shook her head.

"I'm not sure. It just sounded right. Felt right." She looked as confused as he felt. Somehow, they both knew what it meant, and their quiet joy showed in his gentle smile and the soft glow surrounding Kida's body. Knowing full well what it would lead to, Orochimaru pulled her against him and kissed her.


	11. Chapter 10: Why Stars Shine

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire)!  
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A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Ten: Why Stars Shine:

Darkness flowed through the streets of Konoha. Tsunade stumbled out of a bar to find Kida's star companions waiting for her. One of them caught her arm, the other left. She was dragged up to the Hokage's office, and shortly after she arrived, the other star returned with Jiraiya.

"What's happened?" the Third asked, bewildered.

"We cannot find Kida or your snake ninja. Demons are invading Konoha _now_." Tsunade's kidnapper said coldly.

"Where have they gone?" the other asked icily.

"I don't know. They're both fully grown, mature, responsible adults. I don't keep tabs on them besides during missions." The Third shrugged. "We'll have to deal with this on our own. If we destroy the Demons before they reach Kida, no harm done, correct?" The stars hissed in reply, leaping out the window. Sarutobi turned to Tsunade and Jiraiya. "Go look for Orochimaru." They nodded, and Jiraiya helped Tsunade out, going off to search on his own after leaving her in bed.

Sarutobi went to stand by the window, sighing. "I hope they can work something out. It would be a shame to pull those two apart." He turned and left, going back to work.

Kari and Kali, the two star sisters sent to watch over Kida, spent a good hour chasing Demons all over the village. No matter what they did, more and more people became infected. Greed, Gluttony, Lust, and Jealousy all ran rampant. Finally, they returned to the Hokage's office.

"We need to get Kida out of here!"

"Is this all you do? Run away from them?" Sarutobi asked in shock. "If Demons are darkness, why don't stars shine? There cannot be darkness in a place of light."

"We cannot shine. No star has shone in millennia." Kali admitted bitterly.

"You shine in the sky." Sarutobi pointed out. Kari shook her head.

"No star has truly Shone since we lost our emotions." she admitted.

"Then maybe that is the key, is it not?" Sarutobi asked wisely. The two stars started.

"Well..."

"Maybe..."

"Even if it is, we can't learn to Shine in time to save the princess!" Kari finally yelled. Sarutobi raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe she can." The two stars stared blankly at him. "Have you not seen what lies between her and Orochimaru?" All he got were vacant stares once again. He sighed. "As Orochimaru is my ward, I have taken him in since his parents died, I know him fairly well. He's never acted this way around anyone before. It is my belief that they are in love."

"Impossible." Kari stated flatly. Sarutobi smiled.

"Give her a chance." he told them, smiling. "And look out the window." The two stars glared at him, but when it became apparent that he knew or understood something they didn't, they obeyed.

Sarutobi was proved right, for as Orochimaru kissed Kida, the glow around her body grew, starting out a light blue, like the color of a summer afternoon sky, and as it grew brighter turning a brilliant white. He held her close, tightly, and the glow throbbed. He closed his eyes and just felt, letting his instincts guide him, trusting in her, in them. Soon the entire village was lit with a bright light that flashed brightly one last time, that could be seen from Kida's home, where her people gathered, wondering who had finally discovered the secret to the stars' greatest power.

As the light faded, ninja from the village began following it, until they met the Third Hokage, who assured them it was nothing to worry about. Kari and Kali went through the village again for several hours, but could not find any trace of the Demons.

The next morning, as sunlight broke over the horizon, Kida opened her eyes to find Orochimaru next to her, studying the wall behind her with great intensity. _How did I get here...?_ she wondered lazily, recognizing his bedroom. She stretched, then cried out as her body cramped horribly. Orochimaru jumped, then turned to her. There was now a ring of light blue around his pupils and the inside of his irises. "What's wrong?" she asked.

Orochimaru stared at her, eyes wide. "Everything looks so...so...clear."

"What?" Kida yelped, moving to sit up and wincing again. Orochimaru gently pushed her down and went to get some of that herbal tea that relieved pain.

"Here." He handed it to her as he came back, sitting next to her again.

Kida thought for a moment. "Can you get a light?" Orochimaru gave her a puzzled look.

"The sun's up. Why?"

"Just try." She grabbed his wrist as he went to get a lighter.

"Not with that. No chakra either. Just...will it. Trust me." He blinked at her, confused, but focused intently, poking a nearby candle. Flames jumped up from the wick, and he reeled back, falling on the floor over Kida's legs as she jumped up, yelling in excitement. She grabbed Orochimaru up off the floor and hugged him tightly. "I don't know what happened, but this is amazing!"

"What...?" Orochimaru asked blankly. Kida pulled back, glowing again, but softer this time, compared to the bright light of last night.

"You can use star powers now. Probably not all of them, but some." Orochimaru stared at her for a moment, then smiled. He hugged her tightly again.

"As long as you're happy." he whispered. Kida closed her eyes and nodded against his chest.

Later, they met up with Kari, Kali, Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Sarutobi in the Hokage's office. Kari stepped forward, glaring at Kida. "Explain."

Kida blushed vividly and ducked behind Orochimaru, who tried to back away and tripped over her.

"We understand that part." Sarutobi interrupted quickly, preventing further mishap.

"You have forgotten your duty! Your parents-" Kali began scolding Kida, who glared at her.

"I don't care!" Kida retorted. "I Chose him!" Kali blinked.

"Hell." Kari muttered. "We're all dead."

"Chose?" Tsunade asked curiously.

Kali turned to her. "It's an ancient form of marriage, where one's heart chooses a mate. It is a bond that cannot be broken, and is eternal. The two souls become bound together through all reincarnations. It has never occurred between a star and a human before. It hasn't occurred at all since the great war, and the death of the Phoenix."

"Phoenix?" Jiraiya asked.

"The star who created all worlds, all life. Her sister was a Demon. She was the first star. Her wings were red, and so was her Krystal, her soul. She had great power, but fell in love with one of her creations, a mortal. She was devastated when her sister killed him out of spite. She gave herself up to her Krystal and has guided us from there ever since. She guards our souls in the Krystal until it is time for us to be reborn."

"So you're not immortal?" Jiraiya asked, confused.

"By your standards, yes. We do not live forever, just much longer than you do." Orochimaru shot Kida a worried look, and she squeezed his hand gently to reassure him.

"I know this now. Stars shine when we feel emotion. Happiness, love, all cause us to truly Shine." She turned to the two other stars. "Help me reawaken our people. Please. With this, we can surely defeat the Demons for good!"

Kari was first to agree, but Kali followed suit quickly enough. The three smiled tentatively at each other.

"Well, how did you do it?" Kari asked. Kida frowned.

"I lived as a human mostly. I don't remember exactly when it started affecting me."

"Then we will live as you did." Kali said firmly. Kari sighed, and her sister glared at her.

"It is settled." Sarutobi said happily.


	12. Chapter 11: AwakeningLearning to Fly

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire)!  
><strong>

A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Eleven: Awakening and Learning to Fly:

Although no formal ceremony took place, Kida moved out of Tsunade's flat and went to live with Orochimaru, and many considered them married. They started noticing a pattern to Orochimaru's ability to use star techniques, namely whenever some part of him was touching her.

"Well fighting while holding hands might be difficult." Jiraiya teased when he heard about it, and Kida looked away over the treetops. "You're not touching now, though, and his eyes are blue still."

"Baka." Tsunade whacked him over the head. Both Kida and Orochimaru were now blushing deep shades of red. "How long does the effect last?"

"About a week." Tsunade nodded. Kida blinked, then caught her before her head hit the ground, although she was already unconscious. Kali and Kari blinked in unison, stopping their mock battle with Sarutobi to stare at their new friends.

"Kida?" Kari called. When the three ninja explained what had happened, the two stars looked at each other and smiled. Kida blinked and tried to sit up, shaking.

"Well?" Kali asked, kneeling beside her. Kida just nodded, smiling radiantly.

"What just happened?" Jiraiya asked. Kida glanced pleadingly at her friends, who nodded. She stood and grabbed Orochimaru's hand, dragging him away from the others.

"Are you okay?" he asked, worried as she stopped and turned to face him. Kida threw her arms around him, giggling happily.

"I'm more than okay!" she sang, letting go of him to dance around. He chased after her, catching her in his arms to hold her still.

"You just fainted love." he said, laying a hand across her forehead. "Was Tsunade drinking too much?"

"Nope!" she chirped, bright as a bird. Orochimaru blinked, then looked closer. He'd learned last week that each star had their own aura. A slight glow, invisible to humans. It only changed when someone went through a major character change. Kida wasn't acting any different, but her aura now had a faint red tinge to its normal light blue. _Another color? Another person? Wait..._

Kida nodded. "I'm pregnant."

Orochimaru stared at her in silence for a few seconds. Then he blinked a few times. And stared some more. Finally, he found his voice. "I...I'm...going to...be...a...father?" he asked shakily, whispering the last word. Kida nodded, now looking worried. Clearly she thought it was a good thing, but now she realized he might not want a child. She looked away, crushed. Until he picked her up and they spun around, laughing. Not even bothering to stop spinning, he kissed her happily.

"What the-hey! Someone explain!" Tsunade demanded. Kida bounced over, radiating joy and dragging Orochimaru with her. Tsunade squealed like a piglet when she heard the news, and Jiraiya just pulled Orochimaru's hair and told him he was one lucky snake.

"I know." Orochimaru replied, smiling over at the giddy star, still twirling around by herself. Still grinning, he leapt over and joined her, dancing gracefully around the field, him singing and her gliding across the grass until she spread her crystal-blue wings and pulled him into the air with her. Tsunade yelled in surprise, and Jiraiya laughed at the look on Orochimaru's face. Suddenly, the snake ninja felt a tugging sensation in his shoulder blades, and Jiraiya screamed. Tsunade fell silent.

Light purple feathers brushed his legs, and he twisted around to see that he'd grown two sets of wings identical to Kida's, one set from his shoulder blades and one set from his hips, smaller and more like tails made of feathers than meant to keep him in the air. They were patterned with his clan crest, and light purple like the marks around his eyes. Kida smiled at him, loosening her grip so that he was gliding on his own, with her merely guiding him. Then she let go.

Orochmaru dropped a few feet, then quickly figured out how to work his wings before he could crash into a cluster of trees, although Kida was flying as close to him as their wingspans would allow, ready to pull him out of the air if necessary. Her careful guidance, not smothering him, but reassuring to have, made him realize that she would make a great mother.

_And you will make a great father._ They smiled at each other, then Kida smirked and swerved away. Orochimaru looked up just in time to see the rock wall, with a very close view of the face of the Third Hokage carved in stone staring at him. With a yelp, he folded his wings and plummeted straight down.

_"Baka!"_ Kida shrieked both physically and mentally. She dove after him, grabbing him around the waist and pulling him away. "Sheesh. Are you okay?"

He nodded. "Yeah." Looking down, he saw Tsunade running over as Kida returned to the field they'd started out in. She glided down and set him gently on his feet before hovering behind him.

They spent the days training Kari and Kali to live as ninja, with Orochimaru trying to tie Kida down so she wouldn't hurt or lose their baby. She was cute and lively normally, but her daredevil stunts and sheer innocence frustrated him to no end.


	13. Chapter 12: A Family

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire)!  
><strong>

A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Twelve: A Family:

Even six months later, Orochimaru's new abilities hadn't worn off, and they all figured it was because he was now permanently a part of Kida-of their child. She spent the first few months teaching him to fly, but now it was harder for her to get off the ground. It made her impatient, and since the child was a half-blood and the first of its kind, they didn't know how long it would be.

In the meantime, Kida got out a bit more. She became friends with the wife of Konoha's White Fang, and spent a lot of time over there, even after her friend's baby, Kakashi, was born. One night, she went to Orochimaru and explained how she wanted to integrate humans into the lives of every star, and stars into the lives of humans. Her idea involved an arranged marriage between their baby and Kakashi.

"How do you know it's a girl?" he asked. Kida just gave him a look. "Star thing." he muttered. "Takes away the surprise." Kida glared at him. "I'd rather let her marry for love..."

"If they grow up together they're more likely to fall in love." she pointed out. "There are also legends that it is very likely for a pregnant mother's friend's child to be the one that mother's child ends up marrying. Something to do with the attachment people feel towards each other in each generation..."

"All right." he sighed, agreeing. She could always get whatever she wanted from him.

They waited a while more, and passed the nine-month mark. No sign of the baby being any closer to being born, except Kida got a bit bigger. No one could guess as to how much longer the pregnancy would last, so they expected it to be any day.

It turned out to be a full year, as Orochimaru returned from a mission and went to report to the Hokage that he wished to stay in the village to look after Kida until the baby was born, and Tsunade came flying in.

"Finally! You're just in time!" she cried, pulling Orochimaru right back out.

"What happened?" he asked, his chest tightening.

"She's in labor!" Orochimaru flew ahead of her back to their house, arriving outside Kida's window in time to be there for the birth of his daughter.

"She's beautiful." he whispered, amazed. Kida smiled tiredly at him, and he sat next to her, holding his daughter carefully. A soft song began playing somewhere, and he hummed along with it quietly until Tsunade spoke up.

"What song is that?" Orochimaru shrugged.

"One of you has to be playing it somehow. The window's closed."

"Orochi...we're not. You're the one humming it." Kida told him, looking worried. Orochimaru blinked, then his eyes widened until he looked more like an owl than a snake.

"What's wrong?" Kida whispered faintly. She was exhausted and just barely conscious.

"It's something that used to happen in my clan. Whenever we reached the most important moment in our lives, the moment that would change us forever, we would hear a song, that only we could perceive. It's the song of our hearts. Each melody is unique to the person who hears it, and with that melody that person can be controlled." he explained softly. "It hasn't happened in generations." Kida smiled.

"We're both bringing back old traditions of sorts then."

"What will you two name her?" Tsunade asked. Kida blinked.

"Normally we would wait until she turns fifty and she will reveal her own name."

"So old?" Jiraiya yelped, having snuck in with Tsunade to meet the baby.

"Our lifespans are much longer than yours. Hers, we don't know though." Kida reminded him.

"So what will you name her?" Tsunade repeated. Kida looked at Orochimaru, and he understood. It went against her culture to choose a name, but since in this situation they must, it was up to him.

"Melody." he said quietly, smiling. As if recognizing her name, Melody opened her amber eyes, only slightly darker than his own, blinking sweetly up at him. Kida smiled.

"Melody she is."

"Let them rest." Tsunade whispered, pulling on Orochimaru's arm. He left his daughter with Kida reluctantly, still dazed.

"I have a daughter."

"Yes, and a very beautiful one, too. She'll be the talk of the boys when she grows up!" Jiraiya boasted.

Orochimaru glared at him. "Don't make me change my mind."

"About what?" Tsunade asked, confused.

The snake ninja sighed. "I explained to Kida about what normally happens with ninja families if something goes wrong-about godparents. We decided you two would be the best options."

Tsunade squealed, and they all laughed as Jiraiya fainted. "You...you're serious?" he spluttered after they dumped water on him to wake him up.

"Yes. Do you not want to?" Orochimaru asked. "I'm not intending on leaving her in your care, but still..."

"Better safe than sorry." Tsunade cut in. "I would love to."

Jiraiya stared at his teammate, still half in shock. "What happened to little Mr. Genius?" he asked softly. It was something he used to call Orochimaru back when they were training together under Sarutobi-sensei, when the two boys always went head-to-head, competing over the littlest things, and Jiraiya always lost due to Orochimaru's genius and intuitive intellect.

"Well, I am the first to get a girl." Orochimaru said with a smirk.

"Don't you dare make this a competition!" Tsunade snapped, punching him.

"Please don't break him." Kida said from the doorway.

"That was a quick nap." Jiraiya commented.

"You're all loud." she retorted. "I'll be fine." she added as Orochimaru limped over. Then she realized he wanted to hold Melody again. Laughing, she passed him their sleeping daughter. "Will I get to be a part of her life too?" she teased. Orochimaru wrapped his free arm around her waist.

"Of course." he whispered into her ear, smirking. She leaned against him comfortably, smiling happily at their little family.


	14. Chapter 13: Star's Family

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire)!  
><strong>

A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Thirteen: Star's Family:

Melody grew up fast. By the time she turned four, she had caught up and almost surpassed Kakashi, who was five, and had graduated the Academy. Having a newly named Sannin for a father helped. Kida had stayed home with Melody as Orochimaru went out on missions. He was home often enough that Melody knew who he was, and often asked for him when he'd been gone for a while. He helped train both her and Kakashi, who quickly surpassed their classmates by far.

It was one day as Orochimaru arrived home from his latest mission that he didn't find Melody waiting for him like she normally was. He figured that she and Kida had gone to the Hatake's since Kakashi's mother had died recently and Kida often helped out with raising the young ninja so that his father could still work.

When he got there, Kakashi was kneeling next to Melody by the side of the road, offering her ice cream. He looked worried, and as Orochimaru got closer, he saw why. Melody was crying.

Running over, he joined them, quickly taking Melody into his lap, and thanking Kakashi for trying to cheer her up. Kakashi gave him the ice cream and stood nearby, glaring at the house. "What happened?" Orochimaru asked when it became clear Melody wasn't going to tell him.

"Kida-san's parents came. They don't like Mel cause she's half human." Kakashi explained, his eyes flashing. He was very protective of Melody, even though he didn't fully understand their engagement, and Orochimaru always got the sense that Kida had been right and the two would have fallen in love anyway.

Getting up and giving Melody to Kakashi, he started inside, but was met by two stars coming out, both of whom went for his vital spots. He barely got out of the way in time, jumping in front of Melody as one of them went after her. Kida came out, crying as well, and yelled at everyone to stop.

"You can't kill your own granddaughter!" she cried, but her parents wouldn't listen. Orochimaru knocked both of them back repeatedly, but he was tiring quickly from the effort. Tsunade and Jiraiya showed up together, having heard the chaos from the Hokage's office and come running. Sarutobi-sensei showed up as well, and the two stars backed off.

"Fine. Keep the half-blood." Kida's mother snarled. "It's an abomination of our bloodlines anyway!" Melody curled up into a tiny little ball, trying desperately to hide her tears. Kakashi stroked her hair, trying to keep both of them calm. Orochimaru stood before them as Kakashi's father came out as well, taking his son and Melody away to Orochimaru's home, where they would be safely out of the way.

Kida's parents each grabbed one of her arms. "We're taking our only child back." her father said as they left, shooting back into the sky in a blaze of light. Orochimaru took a few steps after them, his body going numb.

"No..." he whispered, his heart breaking. He wasn't aware of Tsunade hugging him, or Jiraiya going off about how stupid the stars were, both of them trying to tell him everything would be okay.

Kida fought desperately, but couldn't win against her own parents. They set a watch on her chambers and bound her power to the citadel. "You will come around. You will marry the man we chose." was all her father said. Her mother refused to speak to her.

"Orochi...I'm so sorry." she whispered, breaking down into sobs. Her parents didn't understand, they'd never felt emotion. Kari and Kali were kept far away from her. Until the day they returned, completely brainwashed and emotionless once more. That hurt Kida more than having them by her side and not her family.

"We are your family." her mother said once, confused. They had no loyalty, no love towards her.

"No. You're not." Kida whispered after her mother had left. "Orochimaru, Melody, Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Kakashi are more my family than you."


	15. Chapter 14: Life Goes On

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire)!**

A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Fourteen: Life Goes On:

_"She'll come back."_

_ "She wouldn't leave you and Melody alone for long."_

_ "Orochi, please, Melody's hurting too. She wants you, she won't listen to us."_

_ "Daddy? Please!"_

Orochimaru opened his eyes. Same stupid ceiling. Same walls. Same furnishings. But it all felt alien to him now. She was missing. She was the one who made this place home. Now she was gone.

Something had woken him. What was it? Oh. Melody's voice. _Melody...my little phoenix. Where are you?_ He got up clumsily, stumbled down the hall. "Mel?" he called. "Phoenix?" No reply.

Finally giving up, he wandered around the village for a while. He was followed by whispers, rumors, but didn't care.

"Left his daughter to fend for herself..."

"Grieving..."

"Poor man..."

He ignored all of them, finally looking up from the road beneath his feet to see Kakashi. A bit taller, with a few dogs by his side. A dog ninja now, huh.

"Orochi-san?" His voice sounded so small. "Are you okay now?"

He blinked, staring at the boy. Was he okay? No! He'd never be okay! Kida was gone!

"Mel...she needs you. I can't do anything more."

Mel...Melody. Right. "Where is she?" His voice sounded like that of an old man, wheezy and cracked.

"This way." Kakashi led him to the Hatake's, upstairs to his bedroom.

"Where's your father?" Kakashi flinched.

"He...moved on." Orochimaru blinked.

"I'm sorry. I...I should have known."

"It's okay. You've been...ill." Kakashi replied carefully. So mature for a...five-year-old? Six? How long had it been? How old was he? Orochimaru just nodded, stepping inside. Melody was curled up by the window, staring at the stars in the sky outside and singing quietly in her mother's tongue, words he couldn't hear. Maybe he was losing his ability to understand.

"Phoenix..." he whispered. She turned, and he could see that her face was streaked with tears, despite Kakashi's clumsy attempts to wipe them away. He was only a child, after all. "Come here baby." She ran from the window, into his arms, and he held her tightly, not wanting to let go, not when she was all he had left. "Don't leave me." he whispered.

"I won't." she replied, hugging him as tightly as she could.

Tears ran down his face, landing in her hair. It had started out dark, like his, but gotten lighter as she grew older. Now it was a few shades lighter than the last time he'd seen her. How long had it been? It didn't matter anymore. All that mattered was they were still together, and for that small blessing, they cried.

As dawn broke, Orochimaru finally let go, taking his daughter's hand instead. He turned to the doorway to find Kakashi gone. "He's been sleeping downstairs. He's a Chunin now." she said proudly. Even at this age, the boy had enough sense to give her her own room. He'd been looking after her as her father should have.

Orochimaru carried Melody downstairs, finding Kakashi sitting at the table, wide awake. "You weren't up all night, were you?" Orochimaru asked, setting Melody down. She ran over to Kakashi, hugging him tightly. Kakashi wrapped his arms around her and shook his head.

"No. I just woke up." he replied.

"I'm sorry I missed your promotion." Kakashi shrugged. "Thank you." The silver-haired ninja looked up, not understanding. "For looking after Melody as I should have, despite your own loss." It never occurred to him he was speaking to the eight-year-old as he would an adult. Kakashi had always been a genius, and matured faster than normal. Partly why he and Melody got along so well. They'd both outgrown the other children their age. "You're welcome to stay with us if you'd like. We could use the company." Kakashi looked surprised, then nodded, smiling gratefully.

"I'd like that. Thank you." Orochimaru reached out and hugged him as well. Life would go on. Not the same, never the same, but forward nonetheless.


	16. Chapter 15: Returned

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta, Azzie(Inkfire)!  
><strong>

A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Fifteen: Returned:

Orochimaru settled into a routine whenever he was at home, but he took as many missions as he could to distract himself. He rarely came to his house. When he did, he was sometimes distant and cold towards his daughter, and sometimes the kind and caring father she'd grown up with.

She started pulling pranks, and Kakashi wound up being the one to track her down. Like the time she painted the entire village while everyone slept, or disappeared for months. She came back to sit on top of the stone carving of the First Hokage and sing everyone awake at two in the morning, ten months after she'd vanished. The people sent to search for her didn't return until a month after. Their reports had been simply frustrating. It was like she'd vanished off the map!

Not that her singing was bad. It was just two in the morning. She'd gotten her voice and musical talents straight from her father's clan, but he'd only heard her sing a few times before her mother had been taken.

Orochimaru started experimenting. If Kida's parents wanted him to join their little club of immortality up there then he'd do it. Anything to win Kida back. As for Melody, she began experimenting with different styles of music, and at age nine, started performing club music, and Kakashi had a hard time keeping track of her. He wasn't star-kissed like Orochimaru, and he had no star blood. When she turned ten, it grew even harder.

"Mel, please." he pleaded one night. Melody came out of his room, hair up, make-up on, covering her birthmark with knee-high boots, and wearing a short skirt and tank top ensemble. The overall color theme was red and black, and she'd traced patterns around her eyes to hide her snake-like markings, just like her father's but red. This had become her normal performance outfit. "Melody, please, don't go out tonight!"

"Why not?" she asked, tossing her hair. For a nine-year-old, she was sassy.

"I...I just have a really bad feeling about this!" She flicked his forehead, standing on her tiptoes to ruffle his hair.

"You worry too much Kaka." she teased. He gave her his best puppy-dog look, and she hesitated, then hugged him. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."

Kakashi didn't believe her, and went straight to her house right after she left his. Pounding on the door, he tried to remember if Orochimaru had come home yet or not. He heard a call for him to come in and slipped quietly inside, racing to Orochimaru's lab.

"Melody, she's gone to that new club-" he burst out.

"What? Why?" Orochimaru asked, startled out of his experiment. He was in good-father mode, which boded well for Kakashi.

"She's performing there-" Kakashi tried to explain, but was interrupted again.

"Why there?" Kakashi shrugged.

"It makes her feel strong, like she's not affected." Orochimaru sighed, and Kakashi could clearly read the pain written in his features.

"So this is what comes next." he muttered.

"I have this really bad feeling, but she won't listen to me!" Kakashi cried. Orochimaru nodded.

"Where is it?" They raced out of the lab together, leaving the lab experiments to boil over.

By the time they reached the club, Melody's young, clear voice filled the air around it. "Poor child. So desperate..." someone whispered nearby. "Just to feel acknowledged..." Orochimaru cringed. Kida's voice echoed in his mind. _And you will make a great father._ He snorted. Some father he'd turned out to be!

Surprisingly, a new voice joined Melody's. One Orochimaru knew very well. They couldn't get inside, it was too crowded, but Orochimaru didn't need to see to know Kida had returned.

_ "If the rain had stopped, That day, I might surely have just walked past you, If the bus had arrived, At its usual time, I wouldn't have met you, If that instant, Had been slightly different, We would __have walked on separate paths of fate, I always want to watch, The same future together with you,Let's __look at the same stars, At the same spot, I wonder if I am present, In the future you imagine for yourself, I want to look up to, The same sky with the same feelings, Our ways of talking and acting, Are really similar, It's like if we have always known each other, Mailing each other at the same time, Thinking about the same things, We might have been bound together by a red thread, We fit so well together, like if, It was decided by chance right from the start, I believe we are fated to be together, I wonder if I am present,In the future you imagine for yourself, I want to look up to, The same sky with the same feelings, So we may always walk, On the same path, hand in hand, Even on days filled with tears, And on sunny days."_

Melody's voice rang out clearly even as shocked cries filled the club. People stampeded for the exit.

"She's back for revenge!" they cried, running away into the night. Orochimaru and Kakashi fought their way inside despite the feeling of being fish swimming upriver. Once inside, Orochimaru searched the place from top to bottom, then fell down to his knees and didn't get up.


	17. Chapter 16: Lost Everything

**A/N: Dedicated to my beta Azzie(Inkfire) for seeing me through this story! This is the last chapter. However, the sequel is already partially written and I have the first chapter ready to be posted so it's going up right after this to make up for me being gone most of the rest of this month. The sequel will be called 'Learning to Shine' and it's about Melody's return. Thanks!  
><strong>

A Goddess's Visit:

Chapter Sixteen: Lost Everything:

Tsunade stumbled blearily across the ruins of the newest club in Konoha. Well, it didn't look like the newest.

"Each generation gets wilder and wilder." she muttered. Her toe hit something that moaned and she jumped back, swearing. Her eyes widened when she saw the long black hair. "Orochi?" She leaned down and dug her teammate out of the rubble as Kakashi showed up with Jiraiya.

"There you are." the eleven-year-old muttered crossly. Tsunade glared at him.

"What happened?"

"Kida came back and took Melody." Jiraiya told her. Tsunade flinched. She carefully pulled Orochimaru to his feet, putting his arm over her shoulders and leading him outside. When they reached his home, they found it destroyed. The lab had blown up and ruined the whole thing. Tsunade twisted so that Orochimaru couldn't see the wreckage and took him to Jiraiya's place.

It took a while for him to come around, but once he did, he tried to go home. Tsunade wasn't there to stop him. By the time they found him, it was too late. He'd already decided.

He would fall into darkness if that was what it took. He felt betrayed, that Kida had come and taken his daughter, his Melody from him. Without even explaining why! It never occurred to him that her parents had brainwashed her, or even that they'd tried and she'd played along to keep her loved ones safe.

Kida took her daughter to another world, wiping away her memories and taking her Krystal, effectively turning her into a human. A sickly human, but a human. Her grandparents would never find her now. She placed a spell on the Krystal, so that it would return to its owner in sixteen years. Noticing how Melody's life had reversed with her memories being erased, turning her back into an infant, she smiled tiredly. This girl would never know her true parents, nor her home world. But she would live and be safe and happy. And that was all any parent could wish for.

Kida thought about going back to talk to Orochimaru, but knew that if she did, she'd end up staying and endangering him. The note she'd left in their bedroom explained everything anyway.

Orochimaru lived in a haze of memories. Him carrying Melody to bed after a long day, buying her ice cream and giving her piggy-back rides, chasing her and Kakashi all over the damn village, training with the two of them, and seeing the determination in her young eyes, determined to surpass him, whatever it took. The pride he'd felt when she graduated the Academy early, and became a Jonin before even Kakashi. The missions they'd gone on together, with and without the dog ninja, seeing her sleeping beneath the stars and wishing her mother could see her. Kida...he would get his revenge on her. If it was the last thing he did.

Six years later, Orochimaru abandoned Konoha. His last words to his best friend and godfather of his daughter were "I will do whatever it takes to get my daughter back. If it takes immortality, then so be it."

**SEQUEL! 'Learning to Shine' -Melody's return! :D**


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